The OED, IIRC, is an historical dictionary; a dictionary of record. It
doesn't pretend to cover the etymological roots of the words, although
it might give a stab in that general direction. I wouldn't rely on it
for etymological references etc. Most other dictionaries of this ilk -
Chambers, Websters etc - follow this model.
There are specialist - and affordable - etymological dictionaries
which are quite useful.
The comparison with the wikipedia is interesting in that both bodies
of knowledge were built by volunteers, although how much of that is
still true for the OED and it's massive databases, I don't know. I
expect you'd hear massive howls of rage and whining should you
seriously suggest turning the OED into a wiki.
Roger
On 9/7/07, Peter Cudmore <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> O, I thought the reference to the 'Shorter' was to the Shorter Oxford
> English Dictionary, which I think I would blithely assume to inherit
> whatever the OED had to offer, but in less detail.
>
> We had this argument over Wikipedia, didn't we? I would deny that
> *anything*, by itself, is a good resource; one always needs to triangulate.
> OTOH, the resources Robin pointed to a while back -- the various European
> and other etymologies -- require a higher degree of expertise to use.
>
> P
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> > Behalf Of MC Ward
> > Sent: 07 September 2007 05:53
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Dust Bunnits / Etymology
> >
> > The point is that the OED isn't a particularly good
> > resource when it comes to etymological issues.
> >
> > Candice
> >
> >
> >
> > --- Peter Cudmore <[log in to unmask]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > > And btw, I haven't seen any references to or
> > > > recommendations of Shorter, where a lot of your
> > > > etymological questions may be answered. I find it
> > > very
> > > > useful, especially when I consult it together with
> > > a
> > > > modern dictionary , such as Webster's 10th (the
> > > newer
> > > > edition of which should be even better.)
> > > >
> > > > Candice
> > >
> > > Ah that's easy: I have online access to the OED, and
> > > I think Robin does too
> > > (either that or a CD-Rom version).
> > >
> > > P
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> > ______
> > Be a better Heartthrob. Get better relationship answers from someone who
> > knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out.
> > http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545433
>
--
My Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/
"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."
Roman Proverb
|