Although there has been much controversy and debate on who created the absolute first English dictionary, it is an undeniable fact that the first significant dictionary came from the patient industry of one man, Samuel Johnson. For nine years he toiled to bring a standardized and comprehensive dictionary to England and for the next 150 years he succeeded in his aims. His primary goals were to make the English language more stable and consistent. However, Johnson was not only known for making a standardized reference work, but also for setting the guidelines for dictionary making techniques thereby influencing future lexicographers and the world of language as we know it.
Created on ... February 9, 2003