271 years ago today, on April 15, 1755, Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language was published. It was groundbreaking, the first attempt by an individual to round up and define the words that–themselves–defined us as Englishmen:
Camelopard, noun: An Abyssinian animal, taller than an elephant, but not so thick. He is so named, because he has a neck and head like a camel; he is spotted like a pard, but his spots are white upon a red ground. The Italians call him [here comes the clue] giaraffa.
Dull, adjective: Not exhilarating; not delightful: as, to make dictionaries is dull work.
Gynecocracy, noun: Petticoat government; female power. [Somehow, we seem to think this is an entirely twenty-first century concept. Not so fast.]
Mouth-friend, noun: One who professes friendship without intending it.
Oats, noun: A Grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people
Patron, noun: One who countenances, supports or protects. Commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is paid with flattery.
Twittletwattle, noun: (A ludicrous reduplication of twattle.) Tattle; gabble. A vile word. [I suppose the current equivalent would be something like Xltwattle?]
And, forty-two thousand, give or take, others.
When I rediscovered this fact, largely as the result of a discussion about “the meaning of words” on Ricochet, I looked for a relevant word for today, hoping to come up with one of Johnson’s many snide definitions. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it alongside the word I chose.
The word I chose was “Tax.” Johnson played it pretty straight, when it came to its definition. However, his examples of the word’s usage speak volumes, and across the centuries:
Tax. n.s. [tâsg, Welsh; taxe, Fr. taxe, Dutch.]
An impost; a tribute imposed; an excise; a tallage.
He says Horace, being the son of a tax gatherer or collector, smells everywhere of the meanness of his birth–Dryden
With wars, and taxes other waste their own,
And houses burn, and houshold gods deface,
To drink in bowls which glittering gems enchase–Dryden.
Happy Tax Day, United States of America! I’m still just about solvent. Hope you are too!
