The story of ain't : America, it's language, and the most controversial dictionary ever published

“It takes true brilliance to lift the arid tellings of lexicographic fussing into the readable realm of the thriller and the bodice-ripper....David Skinner has done precisely this, taking a fine story and honing it to popular perfection.”—Simon Winchester, __New York Times__ bestselling author of __The Professor and the Madman__ __The Story of Ain’t__ by David Skinner is the captivating true chronicle of the creation of __Merriam Webster’s Third New International Dictionary__ in 1961, the most controversial dictionary ever published. Skinner’s surprising and engaging, erudite and witty account will enthrall fans of Winchester’s __The Professor and the Madman__ and __The Meaning of Everything__, and __The Know-It-All__ by A.J. Jacobs, as it explores a culture in transition and the brilliant, colorful individuals behind it. __The Story of Ain’t__ is a smart, often outrageous, and altogether remarkable tale of how egos, infighting, and controversy shaped one of America’s most authoritative language texts, sparking a furious language debate that the late, great author David Foster Wallace (__Infinite Jest__) once called “the Fort Sumter of the Usage Wars.” In 1934, Webster's Second Was The Great Gray Eminence Of American Dictionaries, With 600,000 Entries And Numerous Competitors But No Rivals. It Served As The All-knowing Guide To The World Of Grammar And Information, A Kind Of One-stop Reference Work. In 1961, Webster's Third Came Along And Ignited An Unprecedented Controversy In America's Newspapers, Universities, And Living Rooms. The New Dictionary's Editor, Philip Gove, Had Overhauled Merriam's Long Held Authoritarian Principles To Create A Reference Work That Had No Traffic With...artificial Notions Of Correctness Or Authority. It Must Be Descriptive Not Prescriptive. Correct Use Was Determined By How The Language Was Actually Spoken, And Not By Notions Of Correctness Set By The Learned Few. Gove's Editorial Approach Had Editors And Scholars Longing For Webster's Second. Reporters Across The Country Sounded Off On Gove And His Dictionary. The New York Times Complained That Webster's Had Surrendered To The Permissive School That Has Been Busily Extending Its Beachhead On English Instruction, The Times Called On Merriam To Preserve The Printing Plates For Webster's Second, So That A New Start Could Be Made. And Soon Dwight Macdonald, A Formidable American Critic And Writer, Emerged As Webster's Third's Chief Nemesis When In The Pages Of The New Yorker He Likened The New Dictionary To The End Of Civilization.-- Preface -- The Story Of Ain't -- Dramatis Personae -- Acknowledgements -- Notes -- Index David Skinner. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "In 1934, Webster's Second was the great gray eminence of American dictionaries, with 600,000 entries and numerous competitors but no rivals. It served as the all-knowing guide to the world of grammar and information, a kind of one-stop reference work. In 1961, Webster's Third came along and ignited an unprecedented controversy in America's newspapers, universities, and living rooms. The new dictionary's editor, Philip Gove, had overhauled Merriam's long held authoritarian principles to create a reference work that had "no traffic with ... artificial notions of correctness or authority. It must be descriptive not prescriptive." Correct use was determined by how the language was actually spoken, and not by "notions of correctness" set by the learned few. Gove's editorial approach had editors and scholars longing for Webster's Second. Reporters across the country sounded off on Gove and his dictionary. The New York Times complained that Webster's had "surrendered to the permissive school that has been busily extending its beachhead on English instruction," the Times called on Merriam to preserve the printing plates for Webster's Second, so that a new start could be made. And soon Dwight MacDonald, a formidable American critic and writer, emerged as Webster's Third's chief nemesis when in the pages of the New Yorker he likened the new dictionary to the end of civilization."-- Provided by publisher "In 1934, Webster's Second was the great gray eminence of American dictionaries, with 600,000 entries and numerous competitors but no rivals. It served as the all-knowing guide to the world of grammar and information, a kind of one-stop reference work. In 1961, Webster's Third came along and ignited an unprecedented controversy in America's newspapers, universities, and living rooms. The new dictionary's editor, Philip Gove, had overhauled Merriam's long held authoritarian principles to create a reference work that had "no traffic with...artificial notions of correctness or authority. It must be descriptive not prescriptive." Correct use was determined by how the language was actually spoken, and not by "notions of correctness" set by the learned few. Gove's editorial approach had editors and scholars longing for Webster's Second. Reporters across the country sounded off on Gove and his dictionary. The New York Times complained that Webster's had "surrendered to the permissive school that has been busily extending its beachhead on English instruction," the Times called on Merriam to preserve the printing plates for Webster's Second, so that a new start could be made. And soon Dwight MacDonald, a formidable American critic and writer, emerged as Webster's Third's chief nemesis when in the pages of the New Yorker he likened the new dictionary to the end of civilization."--Résumé de l'éditeur The Story of Aint by David Skinner is the captivating true chronicle of the creation of Merriam Websters Third New International Dictionary in 1961, the most controversial dictionary ever published. Created by the most respected American publisher of dictionaries and supervised by the editor Philip Gove, Webster's Third broke with tradition, adding thousands of new words and eliminating "artificial notions of correctness," basing proper usage on how language was actually spoken. The dictionary's revolutionary style sparked what David Foster Wallace called "the Fort Sumter of the Usage Wars." Editors and scholars howled for Gove's blood, calling him an enemy of clear thinking, a great relativist who was trying to sweep the English language into chaos. Skinners surprising and witty account will enthrall fans of Winchesters The Professor and the Madman and The Meaning of Everything , and The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs, as it explores a culture in transition and the brilliant, colorful individuals behind it. Entertaining and erudite, The Story of Ain't describes a great societal metamorphosis, revealing the fallout of the world wars, the rise of an educated middle class, the emergence of America as the undisputed leader of the free world, and how those forces shaped our language. Never before or since has a dictionary so embodied the cultural transformation of the United States. “It takes true brilliance to lift the arid tellings of lexicographic fussing into the readable realm of the thriller and the bodice-ripper....David Skinner has done precisely this, taking a fine story and honing it to popular perfection.” —Simon Winchester, New York Times bestselling author of The Professor and the Madman The Story of Ain’t by David Skinner is the captivating true chronicle of the creation of Merriam Webster’s Third New International Dictionary in 1961, the most controversial dictionary ever published. Skinner’s surprising and engaging, erudite and witty account will enthrall fans of Winchester’s The Professor and the Madman and The Meaning of Everything , and The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs, as it explores a culture in transition and the brilliant, colorful individuals behind it. The Story of Ain’t is a smart, often outrageous, and altogether remarkable tale of how egos, infighting, and controversy shaped one of America’s most authoritative language texts, sparking a furious language debate that the late, great author David Foster Wallace ( Infinite Jest ) once called “the Fort Sumter of the Usage Wars.”