Garfield makes using a dictionary fun and easy! Nearly every
spread presents an entertaining comic strip illustrating the use of
a featured word. It includes over 65,000 meanings, and Garfield''s
Daffy Definitions. Great for all ages!
關於作者:
The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would
link Noah Webster''s efforts with their own editions, so they
selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster''s son-in-law and literary
heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to
be their editor in chief. Webster''s son William also served as an
editor of that first Merriam-Webster dictionary, which was
published on September 24, 1847.
Although Webster''s work was honored, his big dictionaries had never
sold well. The 1828 edition was priced at a whopping $20; in 13
years its 2,500 copies had not sold out. Similarly, the 1841
edition, only slightly more affordable at $15, moved slowly.
Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams
introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster''s heirs
initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought
them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them
that the Merriams'' decision had been abundantly sound.
The first Merriam-Webster dictionary was greeted with wide acclaim.
President James K. Polk, General Zachary Taylor hero of the
Mexican War and later president himself, 31 U.S. senators, and
other prominent people hailed it unreservedly. In 1850 its
acceptance as a resource for students began when Massachusetts
ordered a copy for every school and New York placed a similar order
for 10,000 copies to be used in schools throughout the state.
Eventually school use would spread throughout the country. In
becoming America''s most trusted authority on the English language,
Merriam-Webster dictionaries had taken on a role of public
responsibility demanded of few other publishing
companies.