CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

Oxford? Webster? - Give me Medieval French! -Blog City

Bill Bryson says,"Dictionaries are sometimes remarkably out of step with the rest of the world on certain matters of usage and orthography." Do you agree or disagree with his assessment . What's your favorite go to Webster or Oxford ?





Fascinating! (Vocabulary always is.) I grew up in a land long ago and far away (or so it seems) and Webster's was the available tool. But I just read that Oxford includes OBSOLETE words! Isn't that wonderful? I love words, almost all words (excluding profanity and obscenity, both of which are in common usage contemporarily), and although I don't do my pleasure reading in the Dictionary (either or other), it is pleasant to know that if I wish, I can stroll through Obsoletisms to my heart's content.


[Note to Self: Check OED and see if that's a word.]





I also learned that the Oxford English Dictionary has the EARLIEST use of any English word. (shocked) Far out! I'm really involved with language and vocabulary this past month and this month because of NaNoWriMo. Set in late 13th-early 14th century, in France, I need to attend to (and grapple with) vocabulary and language. Language was so different in the Middle Ages, plus these characters are speaking French, and I use French titles and even some French exclamations (Oui, mon pere!) frequently, which would probably thoroughly confuse some readers, yet it “puts me into the minds” of my characters and installs me in the Medieval French setting. (Maybe I'll tackle Medieval Germany next.)