Edward Finegan is Professor Emeritus of Linguistics and Law at the University of Southern California. He served as President of the Dictionary Society of North America and of the International Association of Forensic Linguists. He has published widely on dictionaries and attitudes toward dictionaries. Michael Adams is Provost Professor in the Department of English at Indiana University at Bloomington. He has contributed to the Middle English Dictionary, the American Heritage Dictionaries, and the Barnhart Dictionary Companion and served as editor of the journals Dictionaries and American Speech. He is a Fellow of the Dictionary Society of North America.
'An instructive, inspiring, innovative volume about dictionaries and why we need and use them, how we design, produce and sell them, and how they reflect their times – in short: a must-read for anyone interested in their past, present, and even future forms.' Annette Klosa-Kückelhaus, Head of Lexicography Area, Leibniz Institute for the German Language, Mannheim 'This Handbook stands out for its strikingly original take on the world of dictionaries. The range and diversity of the topics it covers - many of them barely addressed until now - makes this an enjoyable and incredibly interesting read. The book's prevailing tone - fairly informal, and very approachable - belies the real scholarhip that underpins every chapter.' Michael Rundell, Chief Lexicographic Officer, Lexical Computing 'What a vast compendium! In addition to expectable chapters on the history, structure, progress, and prospects of dictionaries, this collection of essays by top-notch lexicographers brings us delightfully unexpected tidbits as well: looking backward, we learn why the 4th edition of Black's Law Dictionary includes an entry for Boston cream pie; looking forward, we envision a time when putting a dictionary next to an exotic restaurant dish will have it pick up aromas and tell us what herbs and spices are contained!' Joan Houston Hall, Chief Editor Emerita, Dictionary of American Regional English