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The
Prologue to Samuel Johnson's Dictionary - 1755 |
page
2 |
Johnson
describes the lot of a dictionary writer and the state of
the English language.
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What
effect does the passage have on you? - Find three words
of your own to describe the style of writing.
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Some
words sound as if they have been taken from a legal document,
e.g. notwithstanding; miscarriage (of justice); hitherto.
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Using
an Etymological Dictionary, find the origins of words
such as: |
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prospect
diligence
obstructions
facilitates
lexicographer
cultivation
exuberance
innovation
copious
perplexity |
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What
do these origins tell you about Johnson's preferred vocabulary? |
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| What
spellings differ from today? Can you find three? |
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| List
four plurals we rarely use today. |
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Can
you sum up each of the four paragraphs in one much simpler
sentence? |
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Compare
your sentences and vocabulary with Johnson's. |
Go
to the next page for discussion points after you have finished
the exercises.
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