A History of Roget's Thesaurus : Origins, Development, and Design: Origins, Development, and DesignOUP Oxford, 2003 M11 27 - 450 pages In 1852 Peter Mark Roget eclipsed a rich tradition of topically based dictionaries with the publication of his Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas. Based on intuition as much as on specific linguistic principles, Roget's book has been a bestseller ever since and is one of the most widely-used reference works ever published. In this book Werner H--uuml--;llen gives the first history of its genesis and publication, and investigates the principles of its structural design. The author opens with an account of Roget's life and his background in natural science. He then charts the parallel histories of dictionaries of synonyms and concepts within the general context of lexicography. Synonymy, he argues, is a necessary feature of languages without which communication would be impossible. He traces its theory and practice from Plato to the emergence of French and English synonym dictionaries in the seventeenth century. Roget's was the first such book to be arranged by topic and the first to encompass the semantic network of the entire language. The author examines the manner and method of its compilation, the practical outcomes of the traditions on which it was based, and the ways in which the Thesaurus reflects and reveals Roget's beliefs and background. A History of Roget's Thesaurus will interest students and scholars of linguistics, semantics, and lexicography, as well as anyone wishing to know more about a great literary achievement and an astonishing publishing phenomenon. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 28 | |
Early Statements and Practices | 77 |
The Beginnings of Practical Synonymy | 136 |
The Emergence of the English Synonym Dictionary | 199 |
The Topical Tradition in English Lexicography | 277 |
A Topical Dictionary of Synonyms | 323 |
Plan of Classification and Tabular Synopsis of | 377 |
199 | 379 |
Bibliography | 391 |
213 | 403 |
Index | 405 |
Other editions - View all
A History of Roget's Thesaurus: Origins, Development, and Design Werner Hüllen No preview available - 2004 |
A History of Roget's Thesaurus: Origins, Development, and Design Werner Hüllen No preview available - 2005 |
Common terms and phrases
abandon abstract according adjectives alphabetical animals antonyms appear arrangement called century classification cognitive cognitive frames common concept defined definitions denoting domains edition encyclopaedias Encyclopédie English language English Synonyms entry articles example explained expressed formal frames French Gabriel Girard genus Girard give grammar hard words headword Hüllen human ideas indicate introduced John John Locke Johnson knowledge Latin lexemes lexical lexicographical lexis linguistic Lockean logical London macrostructure Maimieux mentioned mind names natural notions nouns objects obviously onomasiological paragraph pasigraphy pertain Peter Mark Roget philosophical phrases polysemy pragmatic structures preface principles printed quotations reader reality relations Roget Roget's Thesaurus row of synonyms sciences scientific semantic features semantic fields semasiological sense sequence speakers speaking specific style synonym dictionaries synonyms SYNOPSIS OF CATEGORIES theory things topical dictionaries tradition translation Trusler various verbs vocabulary Wilkins Wilkins's Tables word classes word meanings
Popular passages
Page 187 - When first I engaged in this work, I resolved to leave neither words nor things unexamined, and pleased myself with a prospect of the hours which I should revel away in feasts of literature, with the obscure recesses of northern learning, which I should enter and ransack; the treasures with which I expected every search into those neglected mines to reward my labour, and the triumph with which I should display my acquisitions to mankind.
Page 163 - I must confess, then, that when I first began this Discourse of the Understanding, and a good while after, I had not the least thought that any consideration of words was at all necessary to it. But when having passed over the original and composition of our ideas, I began to examine the extent and certainty of our knowledge, I found it had so near a connexion with words, that unless their force and manner of signification...
Page 177 - I cannot hope to satisfy those who are perhaps not inclined to be pleased, since I have not always been able to satisfy myself. To interpret a language by itself is very difficult; many words cannot be explained by synonyms because the idea signified by them has not more than one appellation; nor by paraphrase, because simple ideas cannot be described.
Page 111 - But is there no quick recreation granted? King. Ay, that there is : our court, you know, is haunted With a refined traveller of Spain; A man in all the world's new fashion planted, That hath a mint of phrases in his brain : One, whom the music of his own vain tongue Doth ravish, like enchanting harmony...
Page 115 - ON THE STUDY OF WORDS. Lectures Addressed (originally) to the Pupils at the Diocesan Training School, Winchester.
Page 295 - All that can fall within the compass of human understanding, being either, First, The nature of things, as they are in themselves, their relations, and their manner of operation : or, Secondly, That which man himself ought to do, as a rational and voluntary agent, for the attainment of any end, especially happiness...
Page 149 - English wordes, borrowed from the Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, or French, &c. With the interpretation thereof by plaine English words, gathered for the benefit & helpe of Ladies, Gentlewomen, or any other unskilfull persons.
Page 177 - To explain, requires the use of terms less abstruse than that which is to be explained, and such terms cannot always be found. For as nothing can be proved but by supposing something intuitively known, and evident without proof, so nothing can be defined but by the use of words too plain to admit of definition.
Page 233 - Austerity, severity, rigour. Austerity, relates to the manner of living ; severity, of thinking ; rigour, of punishing. To austerity, is opposed effeminacy; to severity, relaxation; to rigour, clemency. A hermit, is austere in his life ; a casuist severe in his application of religion or law ; a judge, rigorous in his sentences.
Page 233 - The great source of a loose style, in opposition to precision, is the injudicious use of the words termed synonymous. They are called synonymous, because they agree in expressing one principal idea ; but, for the most part, if not always, they express it with some diversity in the circumstances.