Organization of the Dictionary
The Layout of the Dictionary
Johnson designed his dictionary to be a comprehensive study of the English language in all its many components. He divided the language into three distinct brackets of understanding: history, grammar, and definition. Each of these brackets provides a unique facet of the language integral to the comprehension of the whole. Johnson placed the history at the front, followed by grammatical rules after, and then the definitions of words throughout the rest of the text. The resulting format provides the reader with the context of the language and its development into the contemporary form of English; this form is then transitioned into the foundation of the language which broadens into all the explicit details of the language. Johnson's dictionary details the evolution of the English language and ventures outside of the modern day conventions of dictionary composition.
The History of the English Language
The History of the English Language presented in Johnson's dicitonary begins with the Saxons in 450 and transitions through the Roman Empire into the Middle Ages and from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Johnson provides a terse historical synopisis before using literary examples from noted authors such as Chaucer, Thomas More, Wycliffe, etc. to compare different forms of language and illustrate the development of both the language and genre of literature over the course of its history. Johnson therefore provides a living history of English given by those who wrote it during their respective time periods.
A Grammar of the English Tongue
Johnson introduces English Grammar with an all-encompassing approach. The setion begins with the fundamentals of the language including the alphabet, differentiation between vowels and consonants, and general rules to follow. The segment then proceeds to cover everything from the conjugation of verbs to the derivation and etymology of certain words and the formulation of sentence structure. Johnson again uses quotations from prominent authors to demonstrate specific grammatical rules and the proper usage of phrases and sayings. The entirety of his Grammar of the English Language consists of fifteen pages and briefly touches upon the ideas Johnson deemed integral to an undertanding of English. The section provides a more detailed conception of the application of language in conjunction with a basic outline of grammatical principles.
Defining the Language
Johnson's Dictionary ventures beyond the confines of the traditional dictionary format and assembles a thorough explanation for each individual word. While the actual denotation of each word is generally concise, the definition expands to include every possible usage of the word and, when available, specific instances of its application in literature. The defintions thus branch beyond simple meaning and instead include multiple interpretations by significant authors to give the reader a clearer idea of the how the word is employed in context. This interpretation extends beyond a stale explanation and instead adopts a multi-faceted development that provides the reader with a clearer understanding of the pracitaall use and historical significance of each word.