Last semester I took a class on the History of the English Language and I wrote my final paper (through a couple of migraines) on the various dictionaries, looking at them historically and comparing methods and scope. It was an exceptionally nerdy project, and I found it fascinating to compare Samuel Johnson’s work to Noah Webster’s, and both of those to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). I read many articles and books, some in more detail than others. Two by Simon Winchester on the OED intrigued me most and I’ve held on to them all summer. The library due dates are approaching, so I’ve buckled down to finish.

Today I finished The Meaning of Everything, which covers the whole scope of the OED project, focusing mainly on the various editors. The primary hero is James Murray, who developed the system for creating and arranging the definitions. But the man who unexpectedly inspired me today was Henry Bradley. Bradley initially wrote a review of one of the early sections of the dictionary and his deft balancing of praise and critique eventually earned him the respect of Murray and a position as editor. So, here’s the line that stuck out to me:

The story of what then befell Henry Bradley should serve as encouragement for today’s writers, one might think, and prompt them to consider the possibilities and opportunities that might yet come from the vagaries of the freelance life. p.156

You never know what might lead to the next big thing in your life. And as a writer myself, this was an excellent reminder to keep writing no matter what the assignment.

*Also, if you want to talk more about dictionaries and the men who wrote them, hit me up. 😉