Oxford English Dictionary: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
(Added external link + corrected address to existing one)
m (Italicised book title)
 
(6 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
{{quote|'''Tolkienian, a.''' Of or pertaining to the philologist and author of fantasy literature John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) or his writings.|Oxford English Dictionary<ref>OED Online, "[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50254012? Tolkienian, a.]" (subscription required)</ref>}}
{{quote|'''Tolkienian, a.''' Of or pertaining to the philologist and author of fantasy literature John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) or his writings.|Oxford English Dictionary<ref>OED Online, "[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50254012? Tolkienian, a.]" (subscription required)</ref>}}


The '''Oxford English Dictionary''' ('''OED'''), or '''New English Dictionary''' as it was called at its initiation, is the standard English dictionary. [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] spent several years as an assistant, and several of his own words and works would be cited in it.  
The '''''Oxford English Dictionary''' ('''OED''')'', or '''''New English Dictionary''''' as it was called at its initiation, is the standard English dictionary. [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] spent several years as an assistant, and several of his own words and works would be cited in it.  


==Early History==
==Early History==
The dictionary project started in 1878. Though it was orignially not a part of the [[University of Oxford]], the institute took over the project later. The sections covering A-H were published by [[1900]], but both the [[World War I|war]] and the death of Sir [[wikipedia:James Murray (lexicographer|James Murray]], the original editor, in [[1915]] ment that the section U-Z was not complete yet.<ref name="BioOxI">[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', "2: Oxford Interlude"</ref> After Murray's death, three editors remained: Henry Bradley, William Craigie, and C.T. Onions. Most of their assistants had gone to war and not returned (either not to the Dictionary or not at all), so new assistants were necessary.<ref name="RoWTaL">[[Peter Gilliver]], [[Jeffrey Marshall]] and [[Edmund Weiner]], ''[[The Ring of Words|The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary]], "Tolkien as Lexicographer"</ref>
The dictionary project started in 1878. Though it was originally not a part of the [[University of Oxford]], the institute took over the project later. The sections covering A-H were published by [[1900]], but both the [[World War I|war]] and the death of Sir [[wikipedia:James Murray (lexicographer)|James Murray]], the original editor, in [[1915]] meant that the section U-Z was not complete yet.<ref name="BioOxI">[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', "2: Oxford Interlude"</ref> After Murray's death, three editors remained: [[Henry Bradley]], William Craigie, and C.T. Onions. Most of their assistants had gone to war and not returned (either not to the Dictionary or not at all), so new assistants were necessary.<ref name="RoWTaL">[[Peter Gilliver]], [[Jeffrey Marshall]] and [[Edmund Weiner]], ''[[The Ring of Words|The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary]], "Tolkien as Lexicographer"</ref>


==Tolkien and the OED==
==Tolkien in the OED (1928 edition)==
==Tolkien in the OED==
<div style="-moz-column-width: 400px; -webkit-column-width: 400px; column-width: 400px; -moz-column-gap: 15px; -webkit-column-gap: 15px; column-gap: 15px; -webkit-column-rule: 1px solid #cccccc; -moz-column-rule: 1px solid #cccccc; column-rule: 1px solid #cccccc;">
===1928 edition===
According to [[Peter Gilliver|Gilliver]] et al., Tolkien worked on the following words:<ref name="RoWTaL"/>
According to [[Peter Gilliver|Gilliver]] et al., Tolkien worked on the following words:<ref name="RoWTaL"/>
* Waggle (noun & adjective)
* Waggle (noun & adjective)
Line 75: Line 74:
* Wick
* Wick
* Winter
* Winter
===Second Supplement===
</div>
==The OED in Tolkien==
==The OED in Tolkien==
The OED makes two appearances in Tolkien's work. The four original editors - Murray, Bradley, Craigie and Onions - were referenced in ''[[Farmer Giles of Ham]]'':
The OED makes two appearances in Tolkien's work. The four original editors - Murray, Bradley, Craigie and Onions - were referenced in ''[[Farmer Giles of Ham]]'':
Line 86: Line 85:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Letter 316]]
*[[Letter 316]]
*[[Robert Burchfield 6 November 1954]]
*[[Letter to Robert Burchfield (6 November 1954)]]
*[[The Meaning of Everything]]


== External links==
== External links==

Latest revision as of 22:47, 25 February 2024

A letter from Tolkien to the OED, explaining the entry "Hobbit".
"Tolkienian, a. Of or pertaining to the philologist and author of fantasy literature John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) or his writings."
― Oxford English Dictionary[1]

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), or New English Dictionary as it was called at its initiation, is the standard English dictionary. J.R.R. Tolkien spent several years as an assistant, and several of his own words and works would be cited in it.

Early History[edit | edit source]

The dictionary project started in 1878. Though it was originally not a part of the University of Oxford, the institute took over the project later. The sections covering A-H were published by 1900, but both the war and the death of Sir James Murray, the original editor, in 1915 meant that the section U-Z was not complete yet.[2] After Murray's death, three editors remained: Henry Bradley, William Craigie, and C.T. Onions. Most of their assistants had gone to war and not returned (either not to the Dictionary or not at all), so new assistants were necessary.[3]

Tolkien in the OED (1928 edition)[edit | edit source]

According to Gilliver et al., Tolkien worked on the following words:[3]

  • Waggle (noun & adjective)
  • Waggly
  • Wain
  • Waist
  • Waistband
  • Waist-cloth
  • Waistcoat
  • Waistcoated
  • Waistcoateer
  • Waisted
  • Waister
  • Waistless
  • Waist-rail
  • Waist-tree
  • Wait-a-bit
  • Waiter
  • Waitership
  • Waiting (noun & adjective)
  • Waiting-maid
  • Waiting-man
  • Waiting-room
  • Waiting-woman
  • Waitress
  • Wake (noun & verb)
  • Wake-robin
  • Wake-wort
  • Waldend
  • Wallop (noun & verb)
  • Walloper
  • Walloping (noun & adjective)
  • Walm (noun & verb)
  • Walming
  • Walnut
  • Walrus
  • Wampum
  • Wampumpeag
  • Wan (noun, adjective & verb)
  • Wander (noun & verb)
  • Wanderable
  • Wandered
  • Wanderer
  • Wandering (noun & adjective)
  • Wanderment
  • Wander-year
  • Wandreth
  • Wane (noun, adjective & verb)
  • Want (noun & verb)
  • Want-louse
  • Wariangle
  • Warlock (noun & verb)
  • Warlockry
  • Warm
  • Weald
  • Wealden
  • Wealding
  • Wield
  • Wild
  • Wold

Carpenter also notes:[2][3]

  • Wasp
  • Water
  • Wick
  • Winter

The OED in Tolkien[edit | edit source]

The OED makes two appearances in Tolkien's work. The four original editors - Murray, Bradley, Craigie and Onions - were referenced in Farmer Giles of Ham:

"Some may well ask what a blunderbuss was. Indeed, this very question, it is said, was put to the Four Wise Clerks of Oxenford, and after thought they replied: 'A Blunderbuss is a short gun with a large bore firing many balls or slugs, and capable of doing execution within a limited range without exact aim. (Now superseded in civilized countries by other firearms.)' "
Farmer Giles of Ham[4]

Later, in The Notion Club Papers, the N.E.D. appears:

"'Yes, doink has come on a lot lately,' said Lowdham. 'But it's not brand-new, of course. I think it's first recorded, in the Third Supplement to the N.E.D., in the fifties, in the form dŏing: seems to have started in the Air Force in the Six Year's War"
Arundel Lowdham[5]

See also[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

References