Archive for September 2009
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Why Merriam-Webster is More Than Just Webster
The end of the 19th century brought G. & C. Merriam Company copyright and trademark difficulties created by the expiration of early copyrights on Webster’s work, the sale of rights to some of his abridged dictionaries, and the expiration in 1889 of the copyright on Merriam-Webster’s 1847 edition. The respect that Merriam-Webster had earned for [...]
Merriam-Webster’s Ongoing Commitment
HTML clipboardMerriam-Webster’s commitment to innovation and scholarship began with the publication of its first dictionary in 1847 and continued with the 1859 publication of a revised and enlarged edition. The 1859 edition was the first American dictionary to include pictorial illustrations; it also featured a supplement of new words and explanations of the distinctions among [...]
Merriam-Webster Continues Noah Webster’s Legacy
The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster’s efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster’s son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Webster’s son William also served as an editor of that first [...]
Noah Webster and America’s First Dictionary
Born in West Hartford, Connecticut in 1758, Noah Webster came of age during the American Revolution and was a strong advocate of the Constitutional Convention. He believed fervently in the developing cultural independence of the United States, a chief part of which was to be a distinctive American language with its own idiom, pronunciation, and [...]
Merriam-Webster FAQ
What is covered in this Q & A? This Q & A includes brief answers to questions that are frequently asked about Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. It is intended to offer a quick overview of the company, its history, and its products. If you would like more information about the topics covered here, use the text links [...]
