【英语翻译Thewritingofadictionary,therefore,isnotataskofsettinguprulingstatementsaboutthe"truemeanings"ofwords,butataskofrecording,tothebestofone'sability,whatvariouswordshavemeanttoauthorsinthedistantorimmedia】
英语翻译
Thewritingofadictionary,therefore,isnotataskofsettinguprulingstatementsaboutthe"truemeanings"ofwords,butataskofrecording,tothebestofone'sability,whatvariouswordshavemeanttoauthorsinthedistantorimmediatepast.Thewriterofadictionaryisahistorian,notalawgiver.If,forexample,wehadbeenwritingadictionaryin1890,orevenaslateas1919,wecouldhavesaidthattheword"broadcast"means"toscatter"(send,forexample).butwecouldnothavelaiddownthatfrom1919onthemostcommonmeaningofthewordshouldbecome"tosendoutproity",therefore,istolookuponthedictionarywriterasbeingabletoseeintothefuture,whichneitherhenoranyoneelsecando.
Inchoosingourwordswhenwespeakorwrite,wecanbeguidedbythehistoricalrecoardprovidedforusbythedictionary,butweshouldnotbeboundbyit,becausenewsituations,newexperiences,newinventions,newfeelingarealwaysmakingusgivenewusestooldwords.

