Classical Dictionaries: Past, Present and Future

(Hardback)

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Description

This is the first book to be devoted to its subject, offering a wide-ranging introduction to dictionaries of Latin and Greek from the ancient world to the present. As well as the well-known dictionaries such as Liddell and Scott and the 'Oxford Latin Dictionary', less well-known genres are considered, such as etymological dictionaries, lexica of single authors and the 'Gradus ad Parnassum'. Case studies of the treatment of individual words are included, but the nature of lexica as cultural enterprises is also considered, as are the human stories of their makers; the enduring tensions between scholarly accuracy and the practicalities of publishing; and the way such books are used by their readers.

Reviews

...an engaging collection... This is a book that may be read for pleasure as well as instruction. * TLS *
It is excellent both in treating dictionaries past and in evaluating the present lexical offerings as products of that past. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *

Author Bio

Christopher Stray is Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Classics, Swansea University.