The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-02-22
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DICTIONARY OF THE ESeLIsH LAEeuAsE. By JosEpa Z.
WoacEsrEe, LIZ D: Boston: Hckling. Swan & Brew
er. 1850 Quarto-Uuabridgsd. Pages 1886 For sale
af the Ravenna Book Store Library Edition. 81 81
This great work, which has recently been
given to the public everywhere attracting the attention
Of literary men, and receiving from the best scholars
In the country high commendation- and expressions of
preferences over any English Dictionary yet published
From sn able and elaborate cqus. the pen of the
ierary editor, in the Philadelphia Press taks the fol-
lowing: s7sss zes
The volume, contai1ing pages of inroductory mat
and lls6 pages OF proper dictonary matter beau
tfuy printed good is neatly and strongly
hound 1t contains number of small woodruts illus
rssxe OF naurs history art, science mechanics, &c.
to US to have heen argely selected from Dr. John 0g
We vss imperial DesionaIy work Utmost eneyelopiic in
gives and especially abundant in technical and scentc
terms This work "a TWO volumes large sre pub
1854 aud Of tile best of its class that ever
avowediy drawn from WEBSTER this Di.tonarv can
mot circulate in ihs United States, where Webser's
Worcesers Dctionaryn the present edition. occupies
nearly 800 euaFto paGss His first Dictionary ublished
to be found in godes Johnson The present edition has
10 ooe words orer and above this 1t is very complete
collection a1 the reader OF old books will here nd most
II mol ALL Of the ansi?uated and nearly obsolete
which occur in he early English authors. Dr. Worces-
ter gives authorities in most instances. In each Iase
hic is divided into three columns the first and est
word Is gwen az eae top, which fnd convenient
The Infroduc;esy NATTER which is very Interesting as
well rs Instructive treats OF the principles Of pron1ucia
and etsnloogy Of the English Laneuase Hrchsisms.
provincinisrns and Ameriansns; Hi1tory of English
sariss encylopa has &C.; list Of the principal ssien
tfc wo'ks used in the preparation of this DieoLary
and ahbreviations and signs used in it.
The Appendix treats of the Pronunciation of Greek
and Latin proper names Of Scripture proper Names of
modern geographical and Of names of distin
sisrs used yvrisne and printing and eoeesion Of
words, phrases, and quoaiions the Greek, Latin,
FRENCH Italian, and Span s languages There soae
other vnluahie points, including s COO synonyms
the sSs o@. to sbs sh: tint Of Dictionary
words. AS regards the orihoepy, pronuncia ion
seems to u.s. on comparing this Dconary of Worcester
with that of Webster, that the former closely
lowing tbs Engsh authorities is rather more correct
Than Wehsters.that is 1t gives the pronunciation
came the language used in This country Now and then
both deviAie from this and fall into error Thus the
wora mercantile (erroneousy pronounced mercantee il
Americn) is always called morcantyle in England while
Worcester, as well Webster, calls it ms-cantI To
show bow difficult it is to eradicate pronunciation
let us take the word tbSe which half the pop:
uiaiion pronounce tr-bae, though Webster and Wor.
cester correctly stale that should be called tb
with the word Naia which vulgar persons prououuce
!ys-taia' though Webster and Worcester ague in de-
cartng that 1t should be pronounced Il tai yidn.
Worcester have some superiority in rronuaeiation
appears to us tha in point of devai0 Webster has
the advantage. The scholar and student when he
meets with word whose origin wishes to learn asks
unds derioetarf He will find the required information
somewhat fuller in Wooster than in Worcester. =
In The definitions. explanations Of words both au-
thors have great merit but Worcester has erea.er
number and variety Of authorities Lastly and here lies
the essential point of derence have which 10
the better standard Of spelling. In instances Dr.
Webster rather caprciousy undertook to make changes
lew but Important In the orthograPhy of the English
language To remove the in honoasr. and such words
OF Latin origin. what English custom has largely done
AZ this DAY, but English readers approve of Dr.
Webssrs arbitrary deetion Of that in the word
Soviestr which looks nude. indeed, when down to
SGvior 30 the words saber scepr spectsr estey and
40 on, greatly tend to make American writing less raad
able IN England than 1t ought to be- True it is that
WeDsters Alterations nos very but they
lords generally used. and uujusted BY the
analogy Of The language.
orthognphy huctrase-, 1t IL trus-but not extensively.
Dr Webster varied itmors than custom caprice fashion,
and scholarship united had varied t during the hundred
which have elapsed since Dr. johnson produced
iaSen the Engish language as he found ias ii ia writ
ana spoken at this day. In England On this rests
the superiority Of Worceserers Dictionary Take il ns
here stands, and l. Worcasers IL the best English
dictionary yet published in America Il deserves to be
our standard for photography.
| TEE LrrrII PIaRIM. Monthly Journal for Boys and
Girls. Edited by Grace Greenwood. Terms, 50 cents
ayear for single copies; copies for 81 for S5
oO and one to getter up of club "a $780, and one
70 getter up Of club and so for $780, awavs in ad.
vance Address Leander z, LPpincott, la2 South
Third Street, Phladelphia.
We have before US the January and Feb.
ruary numbers Of this delightful Meuthy for little folks
Amusing. instructive, witty spicy and elsvat,ng morally
and intellectually wonder that its monthly visits
with joy at the resdss Of thousands of
children aud youth. The winning and genial spirit Of
Grace oreenwoods writings and their happy adaptation
to the class Of little readers catered admir-