ABOUT THE FIRST DICTIONARY OF THE ACADEMY
ABOUT THE FIRST DICTIONARY OF THE ACADEMY

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to bring to the spotlight the analysis of the first Dictionary of the Romanian language, written in the 19th century by August T. Laurian and Ioan C. Massim, from a philological and linguistic perspective. From a philological point of view, communication contextualizes the dictionary within the Latin current, highlighting its focused orientation on promoting the Latin trait of the Romanian language and its role in consolidating the national identity through language. The structure, organization and importance of the lexicon as a normative and historical instrument is thus analyzed, meant to encapsulate both the meanings of the words and the way in which speakers perceive reality and culture. From a linguistic point of view, the article explores the main phenomena identified in the edition of the text, including the morphological particularities, the variations of case, number and gender of nouns and the way in which those reflect the norms and practices of the Romanian language in that age. The influence of the Latin current on vocabulary and ortography, as well as the tensions generated by the expulsion of words with a foreign origin, critiqued by contemporaries, are also highlighted. Moreover, the focus will also be brought on the contribution of those two authors to the development of philosophical terminology and to the educational reforms in 19th century Romania. The dictionary, despite its criticisms and limitations, remains a valuable lexicographic monument, illustrating both the complexity of the norming process of the Romanian language, and also the tight-knitted bond between language and cultural identity. Thus, the study accentuates the importance of the dictionary as a fundamental landmark in the history of the Romanian language and in the evolution of Romanian linguistics.

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