Category: Experiences

by Bernard King Before I begin on my reflection of this project, I want to discuss the original writer/researcher of Johnson’s Dictionary, Samuel Johnson himself. Born in Lichfield, England in 1709, Johnson experienced physical and mental health issues since he was an infant. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis at an early age. He also had to content with mental health...

by Kianna Solano Kianna Solano, a History major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an independent study course during the Fall 2021 semester. Samuel Johnson is an ambitious man if I’ve ever heard of one. In fact, I wouldcall him tempestuous as well, a word that he would define with a short definition andabout a million...

by Janelle Guichard Janelle Guichard, a History major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection after working as a volunteer during the Fall 2021 semester. When I began my first semester of majoring in History at University of Central Florida, I was hoping there would be an opportunity to become involved in an internship or project through the...

by Shannon Ganeshram Shannon Ganeshram, an English major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an internship during the Fall 2021 semester. Samuel Johnson wrote his Dictionary almost completely by himself, a feat for his day and age. He was a prolific English writer with many works under his belt, but through his dictionary, he manages to...

by Jared Dennis Freedline Jared Dennis Freedline, a History major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an independent study course during the Fall 2021 semester. During my work on the Samuel Johnson Dictionary Project, I learned about Samuel Johnson work on the 1755 version of his dictionary. Also, I learned how words were used back in...

by Luke F. Luke F., an English major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an internship during the Fall 2021 semester. I think that what is most important about Johnson, especially considering how many difficulties he ran into, is that he managed to create Dictionary despite it all.  What saddened me, to a depth that surprised...

by Sebastián J. Delgado Suárez Sebastián J. Delgado Suárez, a history major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an independent study course during the Fall 2021 semester. I preface this by asserting that this is not by any means a sob story. This, instead,is the magnum opus of the Samuel Johnson Dictionary Project, but it also...

by Shannon Bristol Shannon Bristol, an English major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an internship during the Fall 2021 semester. Putting Johnson’s Dictionary online as an archive is important. Johnson’s dictionary had a wide reach throughout all English speaking countries, including America. It predates the (now more common in usage in America) Webster’s Dictionary, which...

by Symone R. Blount Symone R. Blount, a History major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an independent study course during the Fall 2021 semester. Samuel Johnson is known as one of the greatest figures of life and letters. His work as a lexicographer and writer is why the eighteenth century is often regarded as the...

by Kayla Aranda Kayla Aranda, an English major at the University of Central Florida, wrote this reflection for an internship during the Fall 2021 semester. Johnson In the Modern World Now, it is more important than ever to completely digitize Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary. In a world where most people turn to googling a words definition or searching the internet for...