Noah Websterのpatriotismの変容～辞書の編纂とナショナル・アイデンティティの創造～

Abstract

N. Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language.1828 DICTIONARY, n. ... A book containing the words of a language arranged in alphabetical order, with explanation of their meanings; a lexicon. Johnson LEXICOGRAPHER, n. ... The author of a lexicon or dictionary. AMERICANISM: The love which American citizens have to their own country, or the preference of its interests. Analogically, an American idiom. AMERICAN, n. A native of America; originally applied to the aboriginals, or copper-colored races, found here by the Europeans; but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America. The name American must always exalt the pride of patriotism. Washington PATRIOT, n. A person who loves his country, zealously supports and defends it and its interests. Such tears as patriots shed for dying laws. Pope. PATRIOTISM, n. Love of one’s country; the passion which aims to serve one’s country, either in defending it from invasion, or protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions in vigor and purity. Patriotism is the characteristic of a good citizen, the noblest passion that animates a man in the character of a citizen. BIBLE, n. THE BOOK, by way of eminence; the sacred volume, in which are contained the revelations of God, the principles of Christian faith, and the rules of practice. It consists of two parts, called the Old and New Testaments. The Bible should be the standard of language as well as of faith. Anon. N. Webster: American Dictionary of the English Dictionary. Preface 1828‘Language is the expression of ideas; and if the people of our country cannot preserve an identity of ideas, they cannot retain an identity of language.’N. Webster: Dissertations on the English Language, p.22. 1789‘…numerous local causes, such as a new country, new associations of people, new combinations of ideas in arts and science, and some intercourse with tribes wholly unknown in Europe, will introduce new words into the American tongue. These causes will produce, in a course of time, a language in America, as different from the future language of England, as the Modern Dutch, Danish and Swedish are from the German, or from one another.’