includes index

Includes bibliographical references (pages 238-268) and index.

Introduction -- 1. Dictionaries and the Dictionary -- 2. The Lexicographical Scene of English-Speaking Countries -- 3. The Historical Origins of the General-Purpose Dictionary -- 4. General-Purpose Dictionaries and Society -- 5. What are General-Purpose Dictionaries Really For? -- 6. The Linguistic Traditions of Lexicography -- 7. Whither Lexicography? -- Bibliography -- Update on References, 1994-2000 -- Index.

Dictionaries of the national language of a country are an essential and quite frequently controversial part of social life and learning. This is an account of how such dictionaries are made, how they are used, and the issues and problems that face their writers and editors. It is wide-ranging, scholarly, yet readable in its approach, addressing the linguistic problems in areas such as distinguishing meanings, writing definition, and providing synonyms.