Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-22

remarkable is the extent To which tho
use Of dictionaries has entered into hn-
man life. We all recognize the use of
dictionaries, and all employ them IN 4
greater or less degree. Yet It Is often the
case that we consult a dictionary for
what 1t does not contain, or in some cases
could not be expected to contain. while
~ ne'ver occurs to is to refer to 1t for
many things concerning which 1t can
furnish satisfactory Information.
Inc first dictionary in the English Ian
guage, properly so called, vas probably
"Cockeram's," which was published in
London in 1923. But his work has So
thoroughly gone out of use that It is
hardly mentioned to-day, even by lexi-
cographers. DR.. Johnson's great diction-
airy which appeared in 1855, was so epoch
making a book, that in a way it has been
a foundation for all later works. It is
learned, pedantic and somewhat ponder-
Gus. at times %prejudiced and yet surpris-
ingly practical. 1t was this dictionary
that defined a garnet as "a room on the
highest floor of a house, and then de-
scribed a cock-loft as 1.-THE room over
the garrett"
Among other dictionaries thai retain
a value now, some of them only to pro-
fessional photographers, are Sheridan's,
1850, Walkers, 1924, Richardson's, 1886,
Ogilvie's, 1886, Goodrich and Porter's.
1s4s; Worcester's, 1863, and the American
Webster's. 1928. These dates are those of
the first editions and in many cases edi-
tons Of later dates have been so thor
the value of the work.
Tn oonciaarinr tho roo,;t, -
ticular dictionary it is necessary to lake
into account the date of the edition, the
theory that underlies the compilation,
the scope of the work and whether it is
designed for English or American users.
There was a radical difference in theory
between the old and new makers of die
tionaries. The early compilers consid-
cred that the pronunciation and the def
milton of words was to be determined
from the usage Of a limited number of
writer's and speakers, whose scholarship
was to be considered the standard. While
this theory simplifed the work of the
photographer, it was also based on sound
reasoning as applied to the conditions Of
the times. for the usage of scholars was
reasonably uniform, while the lack Of
information and difficulty of communica-
ton between the different parts, ever Of
the same country, was so great that the
usage of the people of one section would
be confusing to that Of another. But with
the diffusion of popular Intelligence, and
the introduction of cheap transportation,
conditions have changed and to-day the
great dictionaries Of the American peo-
pie. at any rate, recognize the usage of
the mass of the people as superior to that
of any one scholar, no matter what his
erudition.
The first departure made in this direc-
| ton was by Noah Webster in 1928. Mr..
Webster was ahead of his time and his
innovation was bitterly opposed. The
| story of Brougham's opinion of "that
fool Webster, who wrote a dictionary and
most ruined the English language" is
| we'll known. But while Mr.. Webster was
premature and some reason existed for
the opposition he excited. yet he pointed
out the way of progress. For over half
a century a contest continued between
the disciples of Webster and those of the
| old school,, who for the latter half Of the
period were represented by Worcester
A decade and a half & the decision was
considered a draw between them. The
popular verdict east Of the Mississippi
inclined to Worcester n west Of ths