Explore the history of the MerriamWebster Dictionary and find out how old words get redefined and how new words are added.
While the concept of a dictionary dates back to ancient civilizations, the first English dictionary wasn’t published until 1604. In the centuries that followed, many more dictionaries were written by individual authors who chose what to include or exclude, with most quickly becoming outdated. One 19th century lexicon had a different fate. Ilan Stavans digs into the history of Webster's Dictionary.
Lesson by Ilan Stavans, directed by Lisa LaBracio.
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