Difference between revisions of "Encyclopaedia"
PeterWilson (Talk | contribs) m |
PeterWilson (Talk | contribs) m |
||
| (One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Encyclopaedia''' is the usual spelling in British English. In American English, it is spelled '''encyclopedia'''. The British spelling is more consistent | + | '''Encyclopaedia''' is the usual spelling in British English. In American English, it is spelled '''encyclopedia'''. The British spelling is more consistent with the [[etymology]], if not accurately so: the word is from late [[Latin]] ''encyclopædia''. This in turn derives from the Greek έγκυκλοπαιδεία, so should perhaps be rendered <strike>encyclop<big>ai</big>dia</strike>;. But it isn't, either in British nor in American English. In American English, following [[Noah Webster|Webster]]'s reforms of spelling, it is always written '''encyclopedia''' with no internal '-a-'. (For more, see also [[Encyclopaedia (spelling)].) |
::'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': "an erroneous form (said to be a false reading) occurring in MSS. of Quintilian, Pliny, and Galen, for έγκυκλοπαιδεία '˜encyclical education', the circle of arts and sciences considered by the Greeks as essential to a liberal education" (''[[OED]]'', 1891). | ::'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': "an erroneous form (said to be a false reading) occurring in MSS. of Quintilian, Pliny, and Galen, for έγκυκλοπαιδεία '˜encyclical education', the circle of arts and sciences considered by the Greeks as essential to a liberal education" (''[[OED]]'', 1891). | ||
| − | + | An '''encyclopaedia''' is a book, sometimes a single volume and sometimes of many vulumes, the aim of which is to supply a complete account of learning, either in general or of a specific branch of knowledge. | |
| − | + | ||
Denis Diderot, (1713–84) | Denis Diderot, (1713–84) | ||
| Line 17: | Line 16: | ||
[[category:reference books]] | [[category:reference books]] | ||
| + | [[Category:spelling]] | ||
| + | [[Category:AmE]] | ||
Latest revision as of 01:09, 13 October 2017
Encyclopaedia is the usual spelling in British English. In American English, it is spelled encyclopedia. The British spelling is more consistent with the etymology, if not accurately so: the word is from late Latin encyclopædia. This in turn derives from the Greek έγκυκλοπαιδεία, so should perhaps be rendered encyclopaidia;. But it isn't, either in British nor in American English. In American English, following Webster's reforms of spelling, it is always written encyclopedia with no internal '-a-'. (For more, see also [[Encyclopaedia (spelling)].)
- Etymological note: "an erroneous form (said to be a false reading) occurring in MSS. of Quintilian, Pliny, and Galen, for έγκυκλοπαιδεία '˜encyclical education', the circle of arts and sciences considered by the Greeks as essential to a liberal education" (OED, 1891).
An encyclopaedia is a book, sometimes a single volume and sometimes of many vulumes, the aim of which is to supply a complete account of learning, either in general or of a specific branch of knowledge.
Denis Diderot, (1713–84)
"It suffices to read some of the analyses of the current dictionaries and encyclopedias (see, for instance, Weinreich 1980; Rey-Debove 1971) to realize that, if so-called encyclopedias are in some way encyclopedic, so-called dictionaries are rather impoverished encyclopedias" (Eco, Semiotics and the Philosophy of Language, Indiana University Press, 1986).
