The English Dialect Dictionary (henceforth EDD), published in 6 volumes between 1898 and 1905, can be considered today as the first scholarly compendium of English dialects (cf. Onysko, Markus and Heuberger 2009; Markus, Upton and Heuberger 2010). If dialectal speech is regarded as an expression of local culture, the EDD can also be considered as a major lexicographic achievement that gives voice to local cultures in the United Kingdom in the late Victorian era. Since the maker of the dictionary, Joseph Wright, did not provide an explicit definition of dialect, it is important to take a closer look at the dictionary and try to reconstruct Wright’s notion of dialect. A better understanding of what dialect entails in the EDD will also provide insights into which aspects of English local cultures are represented. In order to explore this issue, the paper will start out with taking a closer look at some significant events in Wright’s life and their connection to the making of the EDD. After sketching this historical background, the paper will shift its focus onto the structure of the dictionary entries. A close analysis of the different entry sections is complemented by a detailed description of lexicographic labels and semantic domains covered by the many headwords. This approach to Wright’s vision of dialect, reveals the silenced and the resounding voices of local cultures represented in the EDD.
Giving voice to local cultures: reflections on the notion of 'dialect' in the English Dialect Dictionary
DEGANI, Marta;
2012-01-01
Abstract
The English Dialect Dictionary (henceforth EDD), published in 6 volumes between 1898 and 1905, can be considered today as the first scholarly compendium of English dialects (cf. Onysko, Markus and Heuberger 2009; Markus, Upton and Heuberger 2010). If dialectal speech is regarded as an expression of local culture, the EDD can also be considered as a major lexicographic achievement that gives voice to local cultures in the United Kingdom in the late Victorian era. Since the maker of the dictionary, Joseph Wright, did not provide an explicit definition of dialect, it is important to take a closer look at the dictionary and try to reconstruct Wright’s notion of dialect. A better understanding of what dialect entails in the EDD will also provide insights into which aspects of English local cultures are represented. In order to explore this issue, the paper will start out with taking a closer look at some significant events in Wright’s life and their connection to the making of the EDD. After sketching this historical background, the paper will shift its focus onto the structure of the dictionary entries. A close analysis of the different entry sections is complemented by a detailed description of lexicographic labels and semantic domains covered by the many headwords. This approach to Wright’s vision of dialect, reveals the silenced and the resounding voices of local cultures represented in the EDD.
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