Tradition of Dictionary

Tradition of Dictionary

TANAKA Akio
                                        
Walter W. Skeat's Concise Dictionary of English Etymology 2007 is compact but rich content dictionary of English etymology, that lets us feel the Great Britain's long tradition of philology and dictionary making.
When surveying the dictionary making in England, its typography's beauty and binding's durability are enough amazing for us living  in the Oriental world.
Especially I really think that the leather spine of the book's stoutness make us feel the historical heritage. Regretfully Japan's book spines are not so strong than the Great Britain till now.
My The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary was made in 1956 but after half a century the leather spine is very smooth and beautiful against my comparatively rough handling.

Tokyo
25 May 2012

Left:   SHORTER OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY THIRD EDITION WITH REVISED AND ADDENDA. 1956.
Right: ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA FIRST EDITION Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ. Reprint of the 1771 edition.