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The OED Straw Poll

The JREF Wiki- good idea or not?

  • Diamond is a genius

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Diamond is not a genius but its not a bad idea

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Diamond is a doofus. it will never work

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Even Planet X thinks Diamond is weird

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
*ahem*

I'm not a bleedin' Pom, and I own the Oxford English Dictionary. First Edition (a 1970 reprinting of the 1933 re-issue).

12 volumes of original OED, a four volume supplement, and two single-volume supplements (one of which is still missing, d*mn it).
 
Deadbeat said:
*ahem*

I'm not a bleedin' Pom, and I own the Oxford English Dictionary. First Edition (a 1970 reprinting of the 1933 re-issue).

12 volumes of original OED, a four volume supplement, and two single-volume supplements (one of which is still missing, d*mn it).
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You da man!

A friend of mine collects old medical dictionarys. He has one that says acne is caused by masturbation.
 
Mr Manifesto said:


You da man!

A friend of mine collects old medical dictionarys. He has one that says acne is caused by masturbation.
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If that were true.....
nevermind.
 
Mr Manifesto said:


Well, I consider that I own it, and I have the 'shorter' (the big-@$$ two-volume set). I also have a concise Chambers. So it's time to get the big d!ck swinging into action.

Do you have Fowler's Guide to Modern English and "The King's English" by Kingsley Amis? Huh? Do ya, punk? BRING IT ON!
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Looks at reference shelves above computer... "English" books owned:

OED (2 volume shorter edition)
Complete Plain Words & Plain English
Oxford English – “The written and spoken word - The language of literature, science, technology and commerce”
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
Brewer's Modern Phrase & Fable
Fowler's (of course)
Roget's International Thesaurus
Cassell's Guide to Written English
Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English – Partridge

Hmmm… yet me English not be two good. must be rite bad wroters who written ‘em all.
 
epepke said:
I think I qualify as owning it. I don't remember what it's called (alas, it has to be in storage for the time being), but it's in two big volumes printed in almost microscopic print on thin paper. It comes with its own magnifying glass in a little drawer so that you almost have a chance of reading it. It's about 20 years old and contains the text of the complete OED as of then. I don't know if that version is still in print.
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That's known as the "Compact Edition" it is a photoreproduction of the full set reduced to fit in two volumes. You have a reprint of the first edition. The second edition of the Compact version is out now.

I have a full set of the first edition (reprinted). I'm only missing one of the supplementary volumes. It's also in storage because I don't have the shelf space for it at the moment.

I also have a copy of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. It's fun for browsing.

A couple more good browsing dictionaries:
New Dictionary of American Slang. Great fun. I have the first edition, but they are already up to number three.

The Penguin Dictionary of Historical Slang seems to be out of print, but you might be able to find it used.

Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words: Gathered from Numerous and Diverse Authoritative Sources. A dictionary that will actually make you laugh out loud.

Captain Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
 
Mr Manifesto said:


Bah, I'm not getting caught out like that again. I had one of those once, and it didn't have any swear-words at all, just went on about words like 'obstroculous' or whatever.
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Well, they used to be swear words. ;) You'll want the New Dictionary of American Slang. It should be standard issue for the Navy: words every drunken sailor needs to know.
 
Mahatma Kane Jeeves said:

Well, they used to be swear words. ;) You'll want the New Dictionary of American Slang. It should be standard issue for the Navy: words every drunken sailor needs to know.
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On a couple of occasions friends and family have asked me for advice before buying Dictionaries (of English), apart from looking at the layout and stuff I have just one small test. I look up fanny. If it's only got the American definition I put it back on the shelf and move on. :D
 
To me, the test of a true dictionary is the definition of 'vibrator'.

If it only says it's a sexual toy, specifically a (I hope I can say this) dildo, then back on the shelf it goes.

If it says it's a vibrating device for stimulation (I'll even let it get away with 'esp. for sexual stimulation'), it passes muster.

I've got a bug in my butt about this one. When I was going out with my first girlf, I said I was thinking of buying her a vibrator. She said she would have left me if I did.

I said, "No... Wait... I mean a vibrator... You massage with it."

She didn't get it. I blame dictionaries.

Oh... She eventually left me because I wanted to see Predator II instead of Greencard. I still think mine was the better choice, even with the benefit of hindsight.
 
How much is the OED on CD? I don't want to do wrong by the publishers (even though I doubt they're short of a bob).
 
You know, I thought about the fact that Mr. Manifesto was Australian (?) when making that post. I figured, in the interest of internationial relations, it would be good to let people know about a reference book which would show them how to properly cuss out Americans. If you use your own cuss words on us, we'll just look puzzled and think you're inviting us to the pub or something. :p
 
Mahatma Kane Jeeves said:
You know, I thought about the fact that Mr. Manifesto was Australian (?) when making that post. I figured, in the interest of internationial relations, it would be good to let people know about a reference book which would show them how to properly cuss out Americans. If you use your own cuss words on us, we'll just look puzzled and think you're inviting us to the pub or something. :p
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Fortunately, I was born in Canada, so I have a little insight in hacking on Americans.

And anyway, there're so many American TV shows and movies in Australia now that very little gets by us. If we use an Australianism on you, it's just to try and prove that we're mad playas too. Who're we kidding? :D
 
I'll make a plug for a book I got for my birthday, The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations. This book is great reading. The author, Charles Elster, makes very entertaining arguments for why a word should be pronounced in particular ways (by "educated" speakers), and not others, including use of citations from numerous authorities and historical context.
 
Has anybody read the "Professor and the Madman" of Simon Winchester??

Read it, wordmongers, if you haven't read it yet, it's a FASCINATING book about the most fascinating History of a Dictionary in the world :)

Here, read about it!

Hey Mr. Manifesto, did you know that an American was one of its most memorable contributors? Sorry to break such sad news to you :)
 
hgc said:
I'll make a plug for a book I got for my birthday, The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations. This book is great reading. The author, Charles Elster, makes very entertaining arguments for why a word should be pronounced in particular ways (by "educated" speakers), and not others, including use of citations from numerous authorities and historical context.
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Excellent, book, hgc! The entries are both erudite and funny. Richard Lederer is another author (a self-entitled herbivore) I also admire, for his books on language.
 
Wait, I've just remembered! I also own a book about the making of the OED. The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary

It's a delightful read, as it explains the background on the making of the dictionary. Imagine that they had large pigeon-holes for each letters, which they would fill with contributions from people throughout England. Each slip of paper was a word, with its definition, etymology and, if possible, indication of the first time it was used in print. Some words took years to be properly defined.
 
I wonder how many have Strunk and White. Probably rather american, so I don't know that anyone outside the US would like it as much.

I frequently used the OED in college, not so much now that I don't have access.
 
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