Dictionaries

The Collins Dictionary

A final important dictionary to mention is the Collins Dictionary, published by HarperCollins in 1979.

Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary

In 1961, Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary came out. It descends from Noah Webster's American dictionary published in 1806. Unlike earlier versions of Webster's dictionaries, it was descriptive, not prescriptive. It is a major feat of scholarship. People were outraged at the Third New International Dictionary. It was not prescriptive. It included entries for obscenities and scatological and sexual language.

The American Heritage Dictionary

RESULT OF M-W THIRD EDITION SCANDAL This dictionary has two notable features. Its etymologies are very innovative. A Panel of illustrious people are polled on usage questions: the Usage Panel. This is how the dictionary deals with the problem of prescription.

The Oxford English Dictionary

This is the greatest dictionary of English. Its name is often abbreviated to OED. It is descriptive, not prescriptive. Because it is so huge and gives detailed accounts of words, it is not useful for everyday use.

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The Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

the Random House Dictionary dealt with the problem of prescription merely by claiming that a good description of a word includes usage information.