From: benlizro@ihug.co.nz   
      
   On 17/10/2024 3:00 a.m., Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:   
   > On 2024-10-16 09:30:04 +0000, Ross Clark said:   
   >   
   >> "National" here is American. And the day is the birthday of Noah   
   >> Webster (16/10/1758-28/5/1843). Author of the "National Dictionary".   
   >> Actually called The American Dictionary of the English Language.   
   >> Published 1828. 25 years in the making, 2,000 pages, 70,000 entries.   
   >> Price $20.00.   
   >>   
   >> "A great number of words in our language require to be defined in a   
   >> phraseology accommodated to the condition and institutions of the   
   >> people in these states, and the people of England must look to an   
   >> American Dictionary for a correct understanding of such terms."   
   >> (from the Preface)   
   >>   
   >> This almost reads like a claim that the American senses are the   
   >> correct ones. But I think he is taking the much more reasonable   
   >> position that where UK and US usage diverge, if UK speakers want to   
   >> know about the US usage, it makes sense for them to consult an   
   >> American dictionary.   
   >>   
   >> Webster's first big success was a Spelling Book (1783), which sold and   
   >> sold for decades, and made him a household (or schoolroom) name. He   
   >> had some good ideas about improved spelling, several of which have   
   >> become standard for USEng.   
   >   
   > Others of which have not: "Noah Webster's assertion in his 1828   
   > dictionary—'Our common orthography is incorrect; the true spelling is   
   > tung'" hasn't stood the test of time.   
   >>   
   >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Webster   
   >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster%27s_Dictionary   
   >   
      
   Too bad. Webster was right.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)