This volume provides concise, authoritative accounts of the approaches and methodologies of modern lexicography and of the aims and qualities of its end products. Leading scholars and professional lexicographers, from all over the world and representing all the main traditions and perspectives, assess the state of the art in every aspect of research and practice. The book is divided into four parts, reflecting the main types of lexicography. Part I looks at synchronic dictionaries - those for the general public, monolingual dictionaries for second-language learners, and bilingual dictionaries. Part II and III are devoted to the distinctive methodologies and concerns of historical dictionaries and specialist dictionaries respectively, while chapters in Part IV examine specific topics such as description and prescription; the representation of pronunciation; and the practicalities of dictionary production. The book ends with a chronology of major events in the history of lexicography. It will be a valuable resource for students, scholars, and practitioners in the field.

Philip Durkin is Deputy Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, and has led the dictionary's team of specialists in Etymology for the past fifteen years. He is the author of The Oxford Guide to Etymology (2009; paperback 2011), which has quickly become the standard work in the field, and of Borrowed Words: A History of Loanwords in English (OUP 2014; paperback 2015).