Look at what I was reading this afternoon. No, really look at it. As in, click on it and blow up the picture. Do you see what it is? Do you see who wrote it? It's only the very first English dictionary, written by Samuel Johnson, first printing in 1786. It's only 1 of 5 remaining copies. IN. THE. WORLD. And, as I am typing this, it's sitting not 10 feet from me. Just sitting on an ordinary desk under an ordinary lamp covered by an ordinary cloth. No musty archives, or white gloves. Just a book.
I spent an hour reading just the preface and it was fascinating. How much has language changed in the past 230 years? Yet his sections on grammar and orthography are spot on today. What we've been learning from Melvyn this week--it's all right there. What the hell have we been doing all this time?
Quote of the day, appropos perhaps, in light of the health care debate: "Change is inconvenient, whether it is for the better or for the worse."
So if reading the dicitionary is nerdy, then make me a T-shirt and print me a certificate. I'm loud and proud to be a member of that club.
2 comments:
I hope you have a photo of yourself with the dictionary. You do, right?
Or maybe I should say, The Dictionary.
Post a Comment