INTRODUCTION TO OXFORD DICTIONARY
Introduction:/ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃn/ /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃn/ [countable, uncountable] the first part of a book or speech that gives a general idea of what is to follow ~ ( OED)
Words are the building blocks of languages, the means of which we can use to communicate our thoughts, ideas, emotions, and stories. But with how vast some languages are spoken, it is almost impossible to keep the consistency of the languages across the world. This is why we need a guide for language, a reference, a place of which we can use to source our knowledge from. For the English language, that would be the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).
The OED is more than just a mere dictionary. It is a complete record of English linguistic history as well as the living proof of language evolution. The OED is widely regarded as the authority on the English language. It is a thorough guide to the meaning, history, and usage of 500,000 words and 3.5 million phrases spanning over 1000 years from across the English-speaking world.
History: noun /ˈhɪstri/ /ˈhɪstri/ [uncountable] all the events that happened in the past ~ ( OED)
In 1857 a proposal was submitted to the Philological society, an organization focused on the scholarly study of language. The proposal addressed the lack of an agreed upon English Language Dictionary. and the need for it. This was the start of the long and ambitious project that will soon result in the creation of the OED.
The road to achieve the OED wasn’t smooth. a lot of things didn’t go as planned. The project that was originally intended to only take 5 years, ended up taking decades of time and generations of scholars to complete. The first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was published in parts, starting in 1884, and took over 70 years to complete. This monumental undertaking involved the scanning of an unimaginable amount of books, manuscripts, and other texts to document the entire English language.
Since then the OED has reached the third version, with the third version of it being modernized and is available online. The project however, was far from over. As English evolves, so will the OED. The OED website still receives an update every three months to account for new words in the ever evolving language.
Significance: noun /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns/ /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns/ [uncountable, countable] the importance of something, especially when this has an effect on what happens in the future ~ ( OED)
The role of OED will never fade, even in modern society. As the ultimate authority on the English language. It will always be used for extensive research, and references, for writers, editors, and publishers. Not only that, teachers and students of all ages will definitely at some point use it, when they are learning the English language, as it is a reliable source of knowledge with its clear and concise definitions, pronunciations, and examples.
The OED can also have a big impact on literature and culture. Writers will often consult the OED to ensure accurate usage, thus making the OED inclusion or exclusion of words influential to societal changes and trends. And thanks to the ever evolving technology making the OED more accessible than ever, the OED influence can spread all over the world.
Conclusion: noun. /kənˈkluʒn/ [countable] something that you decide when you have thought about all the information connected with the situation ~ ( OED)
The OED isn’t just any book or dictionary. The OED is an accumulation of almost all of the information about English, including the trends and cultures that formed around it. The OED continues to be a reliable source of information even in the ever evolving world with the help of Internet and Technology. Whoever you might be, if you want to learn English, The OED will be a good help.
REFERENCES:
About the OED. (n.d.). https://www.oed.com/information/about-the-oed/
Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Oxford English Dictionary. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary
Harvard Library – Oxford English Dictionary. (n.d.). Harvard Library. https://library.harvard.edu/services-tools/oxford-english-dictionary