description Frederick Furnivall Overview
Frederick Furnivall was a British philologist central to the development of lexicography. He significantly contributed to the Oxford English Dictionary, serving as editor from 1861 to 1870. His work focused on early English texts and establishing resources for scholarly research. Primarily useful for historians, linguists, and those studying Victorian-era language and literature.
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What was Frederick Furnivall's role in creating the Oxford English Dictionary?
Furnivall became the second editor of the dictionary project that eventually produced the Oxford English Dictionary. During the 1860s he recruited volunteer readers and expanded the collection of dated quotations used to document word histories.
Why did Furnivall establish so many literary societies?
He founded or helped establish organizations that made early English texts available for scholarly study, including the Early English Text Society in 1864. Those editions supplied evidence useful to philology and historical lexicography.
Did Furnivall finish the Oxford English Dictionary himself?
No. The project advanced slowly under Furnivall, and James Murray later became its principal editor, issuing the first published fascicle in 1884.
What did rowing have to do with Furnivall's public life?
Furnivall was an enthusiastic rower and founded clubs that admitted women, an unusual policy in Victorian Britain. He continued rowing into old age while also working on Chaucer, Shakespeare, and dictionary projects.
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