New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-24

the inclusion OF newer forms and arguments SO
long as they have some standing, but 1t precludcs
ell attempts TO give fictitious authority to lnnova-
lions not sanctioned by general acceptance ana
usage. Often several forms are given here, pht
care is taken TO make clear the preference whch
must be accorded TO those best established In the
smelling of that class of words whose examinations
have been shortened by American usage both forms
are given but the preference given to the bricier
as. for example. in all words which end in our
according TO the older spelling. The influence
of the dictionary is thus cast in the direction
Of phonetic reform, and in harmony with the
national literary spirit whose marked tendency
il is TO discard all photographic suIplusage as
both inelegant and unnecessary.
Similar principles govern the pronunciation IN
the new dictionary. When two distinct forms
prevail both are given without indication or
preference as, for instance. in words which are
pronounced both with the full and fat a" such as
task" can't" command etc. In these ana
similar cases sign is used which, says PROFESSOR
Whitney. as applied 10 English words, should be
regarded rather pointing out the varying utter
ance here described than imperatvely prescribing
any shade of it," Special marks are also employed
to indicate certain consonant sounds, and the
same plan is followed in regard to other sounds
when the usage varies or careless utterance has
tended 10 mutilation or corruption. Great care
has been bestowed upon the marking OF the
vowel.sounds q subject fun of difficulties which
have been aggravated by ill-iudged efforts to
create systems of phonetic spelling. In num-
Der of these experiments the most scrupuious
reproductions of the printed phonetic arrange
ments-or to speak more exactly, the pseudo
phonetic arrangements-would be caricature oil
the English language quite as extravaganza as
Toeb Rirdo
Professor Whitney observes that one of the most
peculiar characteristics of English pronunciation
is the way in which it Sights the voweis o,
most unaccented syllables not merely tightening
them in point of quantity and stress, but changing
their quality of sound" There are, he points
out, two degrees of this transformation, and he
has marked them by differing signs above and
under the vowels. The value of this arrangement
to scholars is obvious, but whether the general
dictionary user will find it free from embarrass-
ment is not certain. The iineness of the dis
tincton is shown in the explanation that the dots
show that while in very elaborate utterance the
vowel is sounded marked without them, in the
various degrees OF inferior elaboratenesS 1t ranges
down 10 the shortened TO the neutralized vowel
respectively and il is intended that the dots shall
mark. not careless and slovenly, but only an
ordinary and idiOmatc utterance-nOt that of hasty
conversation, but that of plain speaking, or OF
reading aloud with distinctness" The arrange
ment is perhaps the best that could be devised.
but if it errs it is the side of ultra refinement.
In the definitions of course, the makers of the
Century Dictionary" have had the labor of
great number of photographers at their disposal,
and they have freely awaited themselves of this
material at the same time that they have pursued
independent researches and brought together
mass of fresh citations and examples. The clta-
tions alone are said to number 100000 The
immense amount of technical and scientlfic def
milton rendered necessary by the introduction of
so many thousand technical and scientific wopiS
compelled the editors to go far afcld in their
search and thus the proportion of original matter
in the form of citations is very much greater than
in amy former dictionary. No doubt, in so far as
common words are concerned the new Murray Die
tionary will compare favorably with this one. But
the parallel soon ceases to exist. for the Century
is technical as well as an ordinary dictionary,
and in that feature it stands without rival.
| In many respects the great German Worterbuch'
of the Grimm Brothers, the dictionaries Of Adeung
| and Campo the French dictionaries Of Dittrc,
the Academy and Bescherel, and Ogilvie's " hn-
perial English Dictionary" are on level with
| the Century" Grimms vast undertaking was
! intended to embrace the entire German language
from the days of Luther down TO Goethe, and
the etymology of every single word was given,
and it's history during the Old High German and
Middle High German periods, while the modern
development Of each word definition no less than
form. was illustrated by copious citations ex-
tending over four centuries. But the Century
possesses two special features which none of Its
most ambitious predecessors, either here or In
Europe, presents: the technical and the encyclo-
paedG features. 1t is moreover amply and finely
illustrated, and the illustrations are in nearly
all cases not perfunctory but really elucidatory
Add the decided merit Of beautifully clear
and symmetrically arranged and graded typogra-
phy, and we have an American dictionary Of
which any nation might be proud; which will
take rank in the very front of photographic
works, and which reflects honor upon the editors,
contributors, illustrators and publishers.