ECEP Database :: Works

The royal standard English dictionary: in which the words are not only rationally divided into syllables, accurately accented, their part of speech properly distinguished, and their various significations arranged in one line; but likewise by a key to this work, Comprising The various Sounds of the Vowels and Consonants, denoted by typographical characters, and illustrated by Examples which render it intelligible to the weakest capacity, It Exhibits their True Pronunciation, According to the Present Practice of Men of Letters, Eminent Orators, and Polite Speakers in London; upon a Plan Perfectly Plain, and Entirely New. To which is Prefixed, A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. By W Perry, Author of The Man of Business, and Gentleman's Assistant. Edinburgh: printed for the author, by David Willison; and sold by J. Wilkie, T. Evans, and J. Murray London; J. Bell, W. Creech, J. Dickson, C. Elliot, R. Jamieson, Edinburgh; Charnley, Newcastle; Etherington, York; Norton, Bristol; Frederick, Bath; and by the author, M,DCC,LXXV.

Preface:  'To the Right Honourable Ames Stodart, Esq; Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh; the following dictionary, tended to fix a standard for the pronunciation of the English language, conformable to the present practice of polite speakers in the city of London, is most humbly inscribed, as a small testimony of his esteem, by his lordship's most humble, most obedient, and devoted servant, William Perry.

 

13/11 frontispiece details checked, along with lexical sets.

 

Physical description from ECCO.

Price from imprint.

With five final pages of errata and advertisements. (ECCO)

 

Unclear entries checked against the original held at the British Library (CW).

 

(Beal 1999: 75) "Perry aligns himself with Kenrick in his condemnation of Buchanan, and his intention not to disrupt the orthography, he criticizes Sheridan, for not adhering to the 'one sound = one spelling' principle, which Sheridan, incidentally, was the first to articulate, but not the first to put into practice."

 

(Beal 1999: 75) "Perry's scheme, like Johnston's and Kenrick's, would be termed diacritic according to both Emsley's and Abercrombie's definitions".