Includes bibliographical references (pages 184-188) and index.
1. Words -- 2. Facts about words -- 3. The dictionary -- 4. The beginnings -- 5. The new English dictionary -- 6. Up to the present -- 7. Users and uses -- 8. Meaning in dictionaries -- 9. Beyond definition -- 10. Etymology -- 11. Dictionaries for learners -- 12. Abandoning the alphabet -- 13. Compiling dictionaries -- 14. Criticising dictionaries.
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This book is an accessible introduction to lexicography - the study of dictionaries. Dictionaries are used at home and at school, cited in law courts, sermons and parliament, and referred to by crossword addicts and Scrabble players alike. Lexicography provides a detailed overview of the history, types and content of these essential references. Howard Jackson analyzes a wide range of dictionaries, from those for native speakers to thematic dictionaries and those on CD-ROM, to reveal the ways in which dictionaries fulfil their dual function of describing the vocabulary of E.