Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-21
THE HISTORY OF DIALECT.
With Special Reference to "The En-
glish Dialect Grammar"

From the London Academy
We have, first OF all. to congratulate
Prof. Wright on the completion OF the
English dialect dictionary, without the as
sistance of which the present work would
have been impossible. Since the foundation
OF the English Dialect Society In 1873 the
work of doing justice to the history OF our
dialects has gone steadily forward through
all Its successive stages. First of all came
the photography of the books concerned with
the dialects and the publication of numer-
GUS dialect glossaries, both new and old
by the English Dialect Society, from 1873
TO 1895. in eighty volumes Next the coll
lection OF additional words and tlIustra-
tive quotations by DR.. smythe Palmer dur
Ing the years 1893 TO 1889. Thirdly, the
handing over of all the material collected
ZIP I" that date to DIR. Wright vino soon
discovered that the collections were still
insufficient. and likely to remain so unless
much augmented. The next step was for
him TO enlist the assistance of voluntary
helpers. the number OF which gradually IN
creased TIL IL exceeded six hundred. In
the Whole history of the undertaking moth
ing WAS more satisfactory than this. A
movement begun in complete and implicit
trust in the power of the united kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland to help itself.
ultimately met with a response which ex-
ceeded sill anticipation, and has proved, to
the complete confusion of all pessimists,
that there still exists among us an unsellsh
and almost inexhaustible supply OF unanim-
Gus patriotism which is capable OF steady
devotion 20 ally project that is designed
for the common good. nation that Is
capable Of producing such a thing as dia-
lect dictionary in addition TO a new histor-
zeal dictionary, can hardly be twitted with
being in a stage OF decadence, but ought
rather TO be regarded by discerning minds
as an eagle muing her mighty youth, and
kidding her undazzed eyes at the full mid
day beam"
The tine OF preparation OF the material
was in fact, extended TIL 1895 and later,
so that tie FIST volume OF the English
dialect drtio:.ary did not appear till 1865.
lust quarter OF a century after the work
practically ttsan. Since that date IL has
advanced with great and commendabis
rapidity the sixth and last volume appear
ing in October OF the present year.
This last volume contained. as sort or
appendix. q dialect grammar, which is now
reprinted In a separate, smaller and more
mandy form under the title given above. II
can be obtained Independently of the larger
work.
To certain extent the scope OF the work
necessarily includes the fifth volume OF DR..
Alexander John Ellis work on early Eng.
fish pronunciation. which appeared in 1889,
and was concerned with the subject OF
Existing dialectal as compared with West
Saxon pronunciation" But Prof. Wright
has by no means been contented to annex
the work of his predecessor, or even to ex-
hibft it in the same form. He has gone
ance of his numerous and devoted helpers,
adding largely to all previous researches
and constantly consulting the word-forms
already given in the dictionary. The re-
suit, Is practically an Independent work, ar
ranged on a better plan.
man who has before him the task OF
editing an extremely difficult text contain
ing many doubtful words has been known
In rare instances, to adopt the courageous
course OF making a concordance Of the
words emp ., ed in the text pefore pre-
Stunning TO print the same In like man
ner Prof. Wright tells US that the material
for this grammer was so great that IL was
found expedient to compile and print the
index first, and then to write the grammar
chiefly from the material contained In the
index" We find accordingly that the index
occupies about four-sevenths OF the book,
that is to say. nearly 400 out OF the 500
pages in the volume, notwithstanding the
fact that 1t is printed In double columns.
1t is needless to gid refined gold; and 1t
would be almost ridiculous to speak In
terms of praise of this monumental work.
1t can never be superseded. for the simple
reason that the dialects are disappearing.
The writing OF this grammar was begun
none too soon, for had IL been delayed an
other twenty years believe IL would by
then be quite Impossible to get together
sufficient pure dialect material to enable
any one to give even mere outline of the
Entomology of our dialects as they existed at
the close of the nineteenth century.