Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-09-08
WEBSTER'S
NEW DACTlNN AIRY.

S. CONVERSE proposes to publish by sub
scripton an AMERICAN DICTIONARY of
of the English language. BrNoAH WEBSTER,
LII. d.
This Dictionary will contain such parts of the
best English Dictionaries as are well executed,
with the following Improvements:
l. additional Words. The new words which
the great advances in the physical sciences,
within the last forty or fifty years, have enrch-
ed the language, and which are not Inserted
in Johnson's Dictionary, nor the late improved
edition by Todd, amount to five Or six thou
sand. These, with the partciples and other
words added, will augment the vocabulary
with Early twenty thousand words.
2. Precise and IecAaicat Definitions. The
Dictionaries hitherto published are almost ex-
clusvely translating dictionaries, in which one
word is defined by another that is synony-
nous, or nearly SO. Of this kind OF dictona-
ries ard lexicons, we have many Of great ex-
cellence. But if there is any dictionary of
the English language, Of price which places
it within the means Of purchase which teach
ers in general possess, in which definitions are
sufficiently accurate, discriminating and TECH
meal, that work has not come to the knowi-
edge Of the author OF the proposed Dictona-
ny. The precision of definitions in this work
will, it is believed, supercede the necessity of
book OF synyms
g. Additional Sigmfcations. The signifca-
tons and distinct applications of English
" words, which are omitted by all the English
photographers, and are inserted in this work,
amount to between thirty and fifty thousand.
Many OF these are among the most important
senses IN which the words are used.
q. .Ne7c Et5motogicat Deductions and G9''ii-
mites. The obscurity which has rested on this
subject, and which has brought ii into discre.
dit, viii be, in good degree, dissipated by the
authors researches, and etymology will be
made subservent to the illustration not only
OF words, but of history This part OF the
work is the result of ten years examination,
and comparison of the principal radical words
in the following lans uages the Chaidee, Sy-
'1ac, He6fezc, .Hrd6ic- Samaritan, Ethioptt and
PeiSic. in Asa and Africa, and in Europe, the
Gaelic OF H6e'7o- Celtic, .2ngio- SarOn, Engish,
German, dutch, S1oedss,, Daapsh, Greek. .Lot,a,
Hafan SPANISH, French, if,8s, Gothic. u elsh,
anu .3fmo1c. 1t is found that all these Ian.
guages serve to illustrate each other and are
useful in Calculating the English. Asynopsls
of the principal words in the languages has
been compiled, and will be published, il suih-
cient patronage can hereafter be obtained.
In the mean time, the results OF Ills labor,
which will appear in the Dictionary, viii pre-
sent, on this subject, interesting views or the
have escanrd he observa,;on of En,ona,,
photographers.
5. The neculiar scr;ntural nses of words
mos, of which are o.n,tfad bu EnoI;sh anfbors
of dictionaries are evnla,ned and sver,,,i,e,.a
s Tbr words bec,,nin,r n,;,h ara .a,,a,'a1
ed from those Which, he o;n With } 90 nv 5j,ns..
winch begin with " from those which berin
with p
z. Oosolet4 words and vorde of Jocal nsa
are noted ss sncb. and tho d;aerent an,,l,cs'
tions of words in Fnglard and IN tho iIn;t-'a
states. are sncc;fad % far &c ,ha,, ar. t,,,,'.s
The obsolete words include an ,t;at Nave bsar
found in hooks from he aga 81, of f.ou'..r NJ
the law terms from tb4 No1nan French
& The different s;rnifcat;ons or arnl;co.
tons of words. when no, obv;ons and weIl
known. are illustrated NV come short nass.g4.
from an author of renotat;on or NV a nit e.
miliar sentence. Exfmnliscations howeyer
are not mult,ni;e5 nnder agcb de6r;tion as
the most ;ndic,one echoia,s roneder one ey,
annie as sufficient. ard nu,nerono evtrac,a
from boohs serve o,I, ,o swan the s,,a 'anI
nr,ce ot a dict;on.ry a,nsr;c.n u,r;Ie,s ~
reputation are nlaced on a 1oo,;na with Eng.
Ush wr,,ers. and cited a. o,tbor;,;so
g. MANY errors. which have esc.ned the m.
tice of an Frolsh lav;cooro,,b,,rs r. os,.r,ot-