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On October 16, 1758, American lexicographer Noah Webster was born in West Hartford, Connecticut.
October 16
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 16 of October, repeating indefinitely
On October 16, 1758, American lexicographer Noah Webster was born in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Though it was not the first American English language dictionary, Webster’s dictionary, completed in 1828, is credited as the first significant compilation of American English as distinct from British English.
Today, Webster is still a huge name in American lexicography, lending his name to the commonly used Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Did you know? Webster’s dictionary included such distinctly American words as “skunk,” “chowder,” and “squash” omitted from British dictionaries. In a time of non-standard spelling, he also was a proponent of simpler spellings of words.
The Library (still-life), Félix Vallotton, 1921
-Written by Anna Zemaitaitis, Communications and Design Officer
