ABSTRACT
The tradition of"hard words" in the English language was given lexicographical prominence from the beginning of the seventeenth century. In this context, the following five dictionaries are referred to as the most important evidence: 3
Robert Cawdrey, A table alphabetical/ (London, 1604). John Bullokar, An English expositor: teaching the interpretation of the hardest words used in our language (London, 1616). Henry Cockeram, The English dictionarie, or, an interpreter of hard English words (London, 1623). Thomas Blount, Glossographia, or, a dictionary interpreting all such hard words, whether Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French, Teutonick, Belgick, British, or Saxon, as are now used in our refined English tongue (London, 1656). Edward Philips, The new world of English words (London, 1658).
