Customer Reviews

American Dictionary of the English Language (1828 Facsimile Edition)

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NOAH WEBSTER'S FIRST EDITION OF AN AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. San Francisco: Foundation for American Christian Education, Twelfth Printing, 2000. ISBN 0-912498-03-X

This book is a facsimile of the 1828 two-volume dictionary in one volume, which besides having its own great intrinsic interest, will also be of great interest to students of Emily Dickinson.

Noah Webster was a very learned and very devout man, and his ideas about language in his very long Introduction to this book make for interesting reading. The frontispiece gives us a marvelous portrait of Webster. He looks like a man of strong will and determination, qualities he would have needed to push his great project to a conclusion.

As for the actual entries, Christian readers will find it rewarding to compare his definitions of such words as "marriage", "education", "sin", "law", "faith", "prayer", etc., with those given in any modern dictionary. They will probably be surprised at the great differences, and may come away with a renewed respect for this great American.

Turning to Emily Dickinson, we know that she made frequent and extensive use of Noah Webster's 'Dictionary of the English Language' in writing her poems, paying attention not only to definitions but also to Webster's etymologies and his illustrative quotations.

The scholarly consensus is that she probably made use of an 1844 reprint of the 1841 edition, but since this is now rare, and since the 1828 edition was also in the Dickinson library, the present facsimile of the 1828 edition becomes an important resource for helping us to recover at least some of the senses in which she understood certain words.

The present book is a large heavy quarto volume (8.5 by 11 inches), stitched, bound in full strong cloth, well-printed on thin but good quality paper, and has clearly been designed for heavy use. Since it isn't paginated in the normal way, I'm not sure exactly how long it is, but at a guess I'd say it must be at least 1500 pages, if not 2000.

It's a great pleasure to handle such a well-produced book, and to read its definitions and ponder the great changes that have occurred in the meanings of words over the last 130 years. This is a book that should be in everyone's library, as providing a fund of wisdom, knowledge, and information that few modern books can even begin to approach.

A "must-have" for those who would understand the American Constitution and the basis for our heritage and beliefs. This book is more than a dictionary, it concisely defines the words whose meanings have "evolved" in our language. Excellent reference for Bible studies, history papers, and general better basis of explanation and reasoning for our national documents. Though it is definitely a "dictionary," I find myself pouring over its contents for clarity and meaning to much more than the words themselves.

This dictionary stands head and shoulders above all others I have used. If language is the life blood of culture, this dictionary shows just how far American culture has strayed from it's roots. Far from being archaic, this dictionary gives the objective definition of words, their etymology, and background in history. I found this book a breath of fresh air in an era of political correctness and subjectivism.

In my years of studying the Word of God I have used many diferent study aids. When I first came into contact with this dictionary I was supprised that it was quite complete and that a very through job had been done. Noah Websters origional intent for this Dictionary was for it to be used by the comman people to help them understand the Word of God so that they could apply its principles to their lives. Each of the words has with it its entamoligical roots and to help understand its meaning it is used in a sentance and in many cases a verse from the Bible. Thus making it an excelent tool for the common everyday man and the schollar alike. If you are looking for a good dictionary for Bible study this is one tool you do not want to be without.

This dictionary is everything you could ever wish, and yes, it is the very first. These very many and every original, clear Old English definitions is not that of today's complex excess baggage terms defined, but it even contains the sources of the many instances used. As a bible reader, I found and understood almost everything I looked for in my KJV bible, however the size is a bit bulky, but I got what I paid. 'One Look Search Dictionary' (http://www.onelook.com) has it free online, but it seems less complete. This book did not disappoint me.

There are some excellent reviews here that I'll not attempt to repeat. The quality of the book and printing is great; designed for heavy use. This dictionary was also a breakthrough in clarity of meaning and presentation.

I don't hand a lot of five-star ratings, so why this tome? It is, IMHO, a "must have" for anybody who wants to enhance their understanding of early American writings, especially the Founding Fathers, Dickenson, Emerson, etc.

I read aplenty from early American, colonial, and other material back into the 1600's. This is the one reference book that I keep open on a stand next to my elbow. Many words still current today had a slightly different shade of meaning, and an appreciable number have meanings that have been lost or radically altered. I have had keen "A Ha!" moments as passages that just didn't seem quite right unfolded before me with a better understanding of the author's words.

I also find this dictionary helpful for much earlier writers such as John Locke. Though he lived 100+ years before this volume was published, its English is almost 200 years closer to Locke than our modern dictionaries. If you don't have access to a more contemporary dictionary, this will still aid in opening Locke and other earlier authors.

This dictionary was written in an era in our country when Christian moral values were the norm. Look up such words as marriage, sin, law, faith, and prayer in any modern dictionary and compare the definitions to the ones in "Noah Webster's First Edition Dictionary" and you will see how how much moral values have changed. Loving to to study Scripture and write I have many referance books. I use my "Strongs Concordance" and my "Noah Webster's First Edition Dictionary" more than all the rest of my referance books put together. Even though it isn't cheap, it has been one the best investments I have ever made. And I do mean investment!

The Webster's 1828 Dictionary is a unique and essential tool for educating Christians. It has the greatest number of Biblical definitions of any reference. Roots are traced in 26 languages. Usage examples come from classical literature and the Bible. This dictionary becomes not only a tool for defining words Biblically, it becomes a way of thinking that forms your worldview. It will equip you for Christian leadership, strengthen your vocabulary, give you an edge in communicating your view and become your foundation for thinking and reasoning Biblically. This tool can be the turning point for you to be more effective in communicating Christian principles used in government, economics, and marketing or for your student to clearly understand how the Bible has influenced every area of life.

Whenever I want to know what the "TRUE" definition of a word is (not some politcally-correct, smoothed-over definition you find in current dictionaries), I go to this great treasure. Every American home should have one of these jewels, and it should be kept front and center somewhere, preferably displayed open so that it can be accessed and used readily (it will tend to get used more often that way too). Yes, it is kind of expensive, but how much are truthful and accurate word definitions worth to you? In a day and age where people are making up their own definitions to suit themselves (example; remember Bill Clinton saying ".... it all depends on what your definition of "is" is!? Lawyers also like play free and loose with words.), it is more necessary than ever before. This book will take you back to the roots of truth this country was founded on.

Fantastic. Although I did find a mis - spelling, I believe it was due to a typo in the translation.

Noah Webster's dictionary terms are on target and provide a basis for research into other fields such as law, the Constitution of the united States of America, as well as other areas.