How did dictionaries come to be? When and how did they originate in a specific language? Who was involved in that origin story? How have they evolved over time? What is the tension between scholarly and commercial, and between prescriptive and descriptive, dictionaries? What is the politics behind each dictionary? And what is the connection between dictionaries and nation-building? This fascinating book has the answers. It brings together a collection of conversations with leading lexicographers from around the world to explore the role dictionaries have played in history, comparing the parallel histories of lexicography in twenty different languages. The conversations explore the way dictionaries, which preserve language while contributing to their standardization, are always political in nature, prescribing some words while cancelling others. Covering major world languages, indigenous languages, and hybrid languages, this is essential reading for academic researchers and students of lexicography, and professional and trainee professional lexicographers.

‘No drudges here! More than aglow with technical know-how, these conversations with lexicographers are ablaze with passion for the history and culture surrounding the creation of dictionaries for more than a score of languages. Begin with any conversation that catches your fancy - about Ancient Greek or Esperanto, Chinese or African languages, French or English, and what drew the dictionary makers to their craft - and you’re sure to read another and another. As rich and authoritative as encyclopedia entries, these conversations are also as compelling as whodunits - and why.’

Edward Finegan - Professor Emeritus of Linguistics and Law, University of Southern California

‘For anyone with a personal or professional interest in the subject, ‘Conversations on Dictionaries: The Universe in a Book’ presents a fascinating account of the strides made in this domain throughout human history. Through its effective coverage of so many language stocks, it also provides a valuable opportunity to discover the broader geographical and sociocultural contexts surrounding those lexicographic efforts.’

Troy E. Spier Source: The Linguist List