The man who dedicated his life to the Oxford English Dictionary
© Neil Gunn
Jun 3, 2007
James Murray had dedicated his life to a project which remains unrivalled in the publishing world.
James Murray was born in Denholm, Scotland in 1837 and was a contemporary of John Scott and like John Leyden had a passion for languages.
Although as an adult he had could read a number of different languages he will be best remembered for his contribution to the English language.
He left school in 1851 and three years later became a teacher in nearby Hawick. Murray described that part of his life as his,” Great learning time, when he made ”excursions” into all the sciences-botany, geology, entomology and chemistry. He became founder member and the first secretary of the Hawick Archaeology Society contributing more than 50 papers to early meetings.
Moving to London in 1864, he joined the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China where he further developed his skill at languages.
In 1873 ‘Dialects of the Southern Counties of Scotland, the work that was to establish his reputation was published.
After six years at the bank, he left to become a schoolteacher at Mill Hill in London where he remained for 15 years.
In 1857, the Philological Society of London had decided that existing English dictionaries were outdated and incomplete. They wanted to compile a new dictionary to rival the American Webster dictionary but after the initial enthusiasm, the project proceeded slowly. Eventually in 1879, the Society together with Oxford University Press approached Murray who agreed to edit it.
Murray started work on the ‘New English Dictionary’ later to become the ‘Oxford English Dictionary’. Initially he worked in cramped conditions at his house at Mill Hill where three million quotations weighing over two tons were stacked in boxes giving him little room to move. He was soon forced to move to larger premises in Oxford where the work began in earnest.
He estimated it would take approximately ten years to complete, however five years down the road Murray and his colleagues had only reached the word ‘Ant’. They realised it was time to reconsider the schedule.
Murray and his fellow editors toiled relentlessly, it was a Herculean task and he often worked 16 hours a day. He had invited people from around the English speaking world to contribute and the words, some dating back to the Early Middle English period (1150) came flooding in.
The language was constantly evolving and Murray was aware that the meaning of existing words was changing, making life even more difficult for him.
James Murray was knighted in 1908 and continued working until his death in 1915, the project continued for another 13 years and was finally finished in 1928.
Originally, the Scot had envisaged a dictionary in four volumes with 6,400 words but after fifty years work there were ten volumes containing over 400,000 words.
James Murray had dedicated his life to a project which remains unrivalled in the publishing world. He would have been proud to know that the dictionary has taken its place as the ultimate authority on the English language.
http://britishhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/three_wise_men_james_murray
© Neil Gunn
Jun 3, 2007
James Murray had dedicated his life to a project which remains unrivalled in the publishing world.
James Murray was born in Denholm, Scotland in 1837 and was a contemporary of John Scott and like John Leyden had a passion for languages.
Although as an adult he had could read a number of different languages he will be best remembered for his contribution to the English language.
He left school in 1851 and three years later became a teacher in nearby Hawick. Murray described that part of his life as his,” Great learning time, when he made ”excursions” into all the sciences-botany, geology, entomology and chemistry. He became founder member and the first secretary of the Hawick Archaeology Society contributing more than 50 papers to early meetings.
Moving to London in 1864, he joined the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China where he further developed his skill at languages.
In 1873 ‘Dialects of the Southern Counties of Scotland, the work that was to establish his reputation was published.
After six years at the bank, he left to become a schoolteacher at Mill Hill in London where he remained for 15 years.
In 1857, the Philological Society of London had decided that existing English dictionaries were outdated and incomplete. They wanted to compile a new dictionary to rival the American Webster dictionary but after the initial enthusiasm, the project proceeded slowly. Eventually in 1879, the Society together with Oxford University Press approached Murray who agreed to edit it.
Murray started work on the ‘New English Dictionary’ later to become the ‘Oxford English Dictionary’. Initially he worked in cramped conditions at his house at Mill Hill where three million quotations weighing over two tons were stacked in boxes giving him little room to move. He was soon forced to move to larger premises in Oxford where the work began in earnest.
He estimated it would take approximately ten years to complete, however five years down the road Murray and his colleagues had only reached the word ‘Ant’. They realised it was time to reconsider the schedule.
Murray and his fellow editors toiled relentlessly, it was a Herculean task and he often worked 16 hours a day. He had invited people from around the English speaking world to contribute and the words, some dating back to the Early Middle English period (1150) came flooding in.
The language was constantly evolving and Murray was aware that the meaning of existing words was changing, making life even more difficult for him.
James Murray was knighted in 1908 and continued working until his death in 1915, the project continued for another 13 years and was finally finished in 1928.
Originally, the Scot had envisaged a dictionary in four volumes with 6,400 words but after fifty years work there were ten volumes containing over 400,000 words.
James Murray had dedicated his life to a project which remains unrivalled in the publishing world. He would have been proud to know that the dictionary has taken its place as the ultimate authority on the English language.
http://britishhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/three_wise_men_james_murray