Chapter 2, The Man Who Taught Latin to Cattle Summary and Analysis

The Oxford English Dictionary, consisting of twelve volumes, took seventy years to complete, and was finished in 1928. Five supplements followed and a second edition came out fifty years later. It is still a paragon for language guides in the world. The book defines over five-hundred thousand words and is incredibly heavy. It is full of selected quotations and can demonstrate the full range of characteristics of each and every word.

The quotes would show how words had been used over centuries and explained when they had changed. The project was commissioned in the 1850s but was not profitable, yet many believe the OED is valuable far beyond its price.

The language is often thought arrogant and utilizes the idea of "polite ears"; many see the OED as...