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February 2006Happy 200th BirthdayAccording to some sources, Noah Webster published his very first dictionary — A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language — in February of 1806. Two hundred years later, we share the definition of compendious and pass along a few of the words that first appeared in print in 1806. You can see all 89 entries whose print debut dates to 1806 by selecting the Collegiate Dictionary, clicking on Advanced Search, typing 1806 in the Date field, and hitting SEARCH. Some of these have satisfying links to the man who was a publisher, educator, and tireless campaigner to establish copyright laws in this country. Several others reflect the culture, peoples, day-to-day life, and flora and fauna of the New World. And a few give us a glimpse of the growth in scientific and technical knowledge of the day. |