ABSTRACT
Theresponseofareaderinthispost-modemagewhenconfrontingforthe firsttimeanOldEnglishglossaryisthatofsurprise.Thestrangenessandthe noveltyofwhatwesurveyarisefromthedisjunctionbetweenourexpectationsofwhataglossaryshouldbe,andwhat,infact,existsforthisgenrein theearliestperiodofEnglish,betweentheseventhandthetwelfthcenturies. Aglossary,asweallknow,is'apartialdictionary'(OED2s.v.glossary\ mainsense).Weassume,almostwithoutquestion,thatitisanalphabetical wordlistpertainingtoaparticularsubjectmatter(suchasaglossaryofmedicalterms)ortoaspecificpieceofwriting(suchasaglossarytothebooks oftheBible).Wealsoassumethatitsintentisillumination:toguidethe readerfromanunknownoropaqueterm(ineitheraforeignlanguageor one'sown)toatermwhichisfamiliaror,atleast,comprehensible.Aswe explorethepossibilitiesofcreatingEarlyDictionaryDatabases,Iwishtotest ourassumptionsaboutdictionariesagainsttheevidenceoftheOldEnglish glossaries.
