|
Spring
2004 - D. Patey
reference
contact: Bruce Sajdak x2967
Searching
for Words |
Researching
a Dictionary
|
Cite Sources
SEARCHING
FOR WORDS
The
Oxford English Dictionary
All
searches for the historical development of the meaning of words in the
English language should begin with the Oxford English Dictionary.
It is available in both print and electronic formats:
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Oxford
English Dictionary (online)
|
click
here |
|
Oxford
English Dictionary (2nd ed., 1989)
|
ref
PE 1625 .O87 1989 |
A
Guide to the Oxford English Dictionary
|
ref
PE 1617 .O49 B47 1993 |
Definitions
by Date: The Great Dictionaries
Here
is a selective, chronological list of dictionaries in which to look for
the development of a word's meaning:
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Dictionary
of the English Language
(Johnson;
1st & 4th eds., 1755 & 1773)
|
RESERVE
- PE 1620 .J6 1996
Use in CD-ROM computer at South end of Mair Room |
Dictionary
of the English Language
(Johnson; 11th ed., 1799) |
ref
PE 1620 .J6 1799 |
An
American Dictionary of the English Language
(Webster; 1829) |
ref
PE 1628 .W4 W9 1829 |
Century
Dictionary and Cyclopedia
(Rev. ed., 1911). |
ref
PE 1625 .C4 1911 |
| Webster's
New International Dictionary of the English Language (2nd ed.,
1955) |
ref
PE 1625 .W3 1955 |
| Webster's
Third New International Dictionary of the English Language (1981)
|
ref
PE 1625 .W36 1981
(shelved on dictionary stand in Mair Room near Ref.desk) |
| American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed., 2000)
|
ref
PE 1628 .A623 2000 |
Word
Origins - Etymological Dictionaries
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Facts
on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (Hendrickson)
|
ref
PE 1689 .H47 2004 |
|
Etymological
Dictionary of the English Language (Skeat)
|
ref
PE 1580 .S5 1974 |
| Oxford
Dictionary of English Etymoogy (Onions)
|
ref
PE 1580 .O9 |
| Origins:
A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English (Partridge)
|
ref
PE 1580 .P3 1958b |
Origins
of English Words
(Shipley)
|
ref
PE 1571 .S46 1984 |
Variations
in Words: Slang and Dialect Dictionaries
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Random
House Historical Dictionary of American Slang
|
ref
PE 2846 .H57 1994 |
|
English
Dialect Dictionary (Wright)
|
ref
PE 1766 .W8 |
| The
American Language (H.
L. Mencken) |
ref
PE 2808 .M4 1938 |
| Dictionary
of American English (Craigie) |
ref
PE 2835 .C72 |
| Dictionary
of Americanisms (Matthews)
|
ref
PE PE 2835 .D5 |
Dictionary
of American Regional English
(Often
simply called DARE)
|
ref
PE 2843 .D52 1985 |
Articles
on Words
To
find periodical articles which discuss individual words or phrases use:
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Words
and Phrases Index
(Each
of the four volumes in this set lists different articles. Use them
all.)
|
ref
PE 1689 .W3 |
|
ABELL
(Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature) 1920+
|
click
here |
RESEARCHING
A DICTIONARY
Always
begin by reading the preface and introduction of each edition of your
dictionary. Next search the library catalog under the following SUBJECTS.
Be sure to search the 4-College
catalog and the UMASS catalog.
| NAME
OF BOOK - e.g.
Oxford English Dictionary |
| NAME
OF PERSON - e.g.
Murray James Augustus Henry |
| NAME
OF SUBJECT - e.g.
English Language Lexicography |
NO
LUCK? Try looking in WorldCat
under these same subjects.
Scholarly
Articles & Reviews on Reference Books
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Book
Review Digest (print) 1906+
|
ref
Index Tables |
| Book
Review Digest (online) 1983+ |
click
here |
| Humanities
Abstracts 1983+ |
click
here |
| Book
Review Index (print) 1965+ |
ref
Index Tables |
| Combined
Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals (print)
1886-1974 |
ref
Z 1035 .A1 C64 |
MLA
Bibliography 1963+
This source excludes book reviews, but contains scholarly articles.
|
click
here |
| Academic
Search Premier 1965+ |
click
here |
| New
York Times Historical 1851-1999 |
click
here |
| Times
Literary Supplement 1902-1990 |
click
here |
| Readers'
Guide Retrospective 1890-1982 |
click
here |
| Periodical
Contents Index 1770+ |
click
here |
Biographies
| Reference
Source |
Reference
Call Number |
Dictionary
of National Biography
|
ref
DA 28 .D42 |
| American
National Biography (online) |
click
here |
Dictionary
of Literary Biography
|
ref
PN 451 .D53 |
CITING
SOURCES
To
get help with using MLA Style visit the Smith College Libraries' Style
Manuals & Citation Guides page.
CONTACT
THE REFERENCE LIBRARIAN
Contact
Bruce Sajdak, the instructor for your library session: bsajdak@smith.edu
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