The Oxford dictionary is today considered the most accurate and comprehensive dictionary of all.

In one of our previous posts, we looked at the English language and how Noah Webster reformed many parts of this language, resulting in Webster’s dictionary. Let’s now take a look at the Oxford dictionary, a dictionary that’s today considered the most accurate and comprehensive dictionary of all.

 1857: Time to Re-Examine the English Language

Back in 1857, it was determined by members of the philological Society of London that it was high time the English language was re-examined. Their intention was to create an up-to-date collection of words ranging from right back to the Anglo-Saxon period up to the present. They would later be joined by the Oxford University press and a Scottish philologist by the name of James AH Murray, who would become the editor of this dictionary. It was their intention to trace the etymology of each and every word to show how it had evolved over time, in addition to its pronunciations and various meanings.

They had a large team of volunteers to help them acquire all the information they needed: they investigated words in both contemporary and historical texts, and these were then checked and filed by Murray’s team. The group’s initial estimation was that this work would take them approximately 10 years; however, progress was a lot slower than anticipated and it was 40 years later that they started publishing installments of the dictionary under the name ‘A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles.’

1928: Publication of the First Volume

In 1928 the first volume was published: it contained more than 400,000 words and phrases, with a detailed history of every word, including quotations from a wide range of sources. There were 10 volumes to begin with but, because language is continuously evolving, the editors carried on making changes straight after publication. Finally, together with these new supplements, the dictionary comprised a total of 12 volumes – it was then renamed ‘The Oxford English Dictionary’. Then, in 1989, the second and final edition was published.

Today, the Oxford English dictionary remains the definitive authority on both the use and pronunciation of English language words. It certainly remains a useful tool for translators; a tool so handy that many translators would not be able to manage their translation career without it. An online version of this dictionary has been available since the year 2000.