Dictionaries Past & Future: Issues and Prospects

DICTIONARIES PAST & FUTURE: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS Frank R. Abate American general-language dictionaries are published and used with the abiding belief that they represent authority in language. This function is not to be confused with authoritativeness, a quality that is properly to be expected of dictionaries, indeed, of any body of reference information. The sense of authority that Americans expect of a dictionary entails much more than confidence in the integrity of the methods of compilation. Many regard their dictionary as a sort of Bible of the language—a handy, constant, and ever-reliable resource for determining the Last Word on words. The products and direct descendants of Noah Webster's original work established themselves firmly in the public consciousness as authorities on language, and their influence has been overwhelming. The almost mythological aura that surrounds the name Webster, such that it has been used as a marketing ploy for dictionaries by numerous publishers, reflects this American attitude of esteem for dictionaries. That such could happen may be attributed to several factors that are part of the American experience. In colonial days, books were a relatively rare commodity, and great respect, even reverence, was given them, as well as those who created and used them. The powerful paradigm of the Christian Bible in early America—the only book readily available, constantly relied upon as the ultimate authority—helped to establish an attitude that carried over to shape the public impression of the role of the dictionary. In addition, many Americans tend to be self-conscious, even uncertain, of the way they use English, taught from their earliest days to be concerned about pronunciation, spelling, and grammar. To the average American, even the intelligent, literate, careful user of English, the language is viewed as a mysterious, often unwieldy, and awe-inspiring phenomenon. The dictionary is regarded, whether justifiably or not, with almost unquestioning reverence and is considered the chief authority on language. People turn to the dictionary for clear, simple answers to their questions, seeking the same sort of sure guidance that the 270 Frank R. Abate271 fundamentalist Christian does from the Bible. And, of course, lexicographers are seen as the ministers of the language, a priesthood that has experienced the mysteries and can rightly communicate them to mere mortals. Modern linguistic science, however, and modern lexicography in turn, have abandoned the static view of language and moved away from the tendency toward proscription or prescription. It is the lexicographer's function as scientist to question everything, then coolly observe, record, and report the findings, with analysis to be given carefully and synthesis only with utmost caution. The positive result of this is that we have learned a great deal about the details of language and have engendered a more rational and accurate notion of what language is. However, in America particularly, the popular view regarding language and lexicography has not been demythologized, and dictionaries are still widely expected to provide the clear and abiding truths. The disparity between the attitudes of modern lexicography and that of average dictionary users was most glaringly illustrated in the furor that followed the publication of the Webster's New International Dictionary, Third Edition (WNID 3), repercussions of which are still being felt some twenty-five years later. While linguists and lexicographers debated and criticized aspects of the great American flagship dictionary, they agreed in spirit with its descriptive intent. But educators, the literati, and journalists, all with their own stake in language and so their own strong views, felt that they had been forsaken, left to battle the rising tide of linguistic mediocrity and barbarism without the imposing authority of "The Unabridged" to stand prescriptively with them. This cultural event led to lexicographic responses: new approaches and new features that are manifest in the American commercial dictionary . To illustrate, let us consider recent efforts in the realm of etymology . A favorite pastime of language lovers, etymology is generally ignored by most dictionary users, except, in rare instances, if it is brought dramatically to their attention. 272 Dictionaries Past & Future: Issues & Prospects Publishers realize this fact, and etymologies are accordingly the first feature to be dropped when space is limited. Given the choice of having...