international language that has a number of advantages over most other languages. English grammar is
quite simple, almost all the nouns are neuter, the subjunctive hardly exists, the difference between formal
and informal address is rarely used, contractions are used extensively, the possessive is usually
contracted, and we simply add a word to create the future tense. English is a simple and uncomplicated
language that is easily learned and, when used correctly, permits clear communication with little chance
of serious misunderstanding.
For centuries, there was general illiteracy and spelling was not important. Even after the invention of
the printing press, when the ability to read and write became more common, the meaning of a word and its
pronunciation were of prime importance, but how the word was spelled was not important. Well into the
18th century, most writers spelled words the way they thought they should be spelled. This, unfortunately,
is reflected all too often in modern spelling.
Dr. Samuel Johnson did not, as many people believe, write the first dictionary of the English language.
There had been previous attempts but they were quite limited in scope and cannot be compared to the
masterpiece that Johnson produced. Unfortunately, Dr. Johnson appeared on the stage of history at the
wrong time.
The 18th century was a time of turmoil and transition during which the English language was changing
rapidly. Up to that time, English had not been taken very seriously by the upper classes, who learned Latin
and Greek in school and greatly admired one’s ability to converse in French. However, the writers and
thinkers of that period were beginning to take a careful look at the English language and especially at the
sad state of English spelling. To correct obvious errors, some writers tried to apply the rules of Latin or
French, whereas others looked back to Shakespeare and some delved into the Anglo-Saxon or even
German for the correct spelling of English words, producing such words as musique or musick. But their
efforts were wasted. The version of English spoken in southeastern England was rapidly being accepted
as the language of all England, and if it had been left alone to evolve and mature, we can speculate that
English spelling would also have evolved.
However, the good Dr. Johnson, who was born in 1709, produced his masterpiece right in the middle
of this period of change and, in effect, helped to freeze English spelling. There was a move at that time to
standardize spelling, and one of the more famous proponents of standardization was Johnson’s patron,
Lord Chesterfield. Unfortunately, he and the doctor did not agree on many matters. Johnson heaped scorn
on the very idea that spelling could be regulated. He wrote, “may the lexicographer be derided who ...
shall imagine that his dictionary can embalm his language and secure it from corruption and
decay....”
(^) Today the English language has more words than any of the Romance or Germanic languages and
probably more than any other major language.
Johnson contented himself with explaining the meanings of the words in his dictionary with numerous
quotations and brilliant observations. He showed how the words were to be used, but as to the spelling,
he preferred the status quo. Not only did he retain obvious inconsistencies, but he even added to them. His
most famous was his addition of the letter p to receipt. Despite his foibles, Dr. Johnson must be
recognized as one of the great men of English literature.
NOAH WEBSTER
Noah Webster was born in 1758 in Connecticut almost fifty years after Dr. Johnson. A product of
impeccable Puritan and Pilgrim English ancestry, he was nevertheless a staunchly patriotic Yankee and an
enthusiastic supporter of the American Revolution. He was a brilliant student and a prolific writer and
publisher who made many influential friends, including George Washington. Webster traveled widely