Samuel Johnson Google doodle honors author behind ‘The Dictionary of the English Language’

Johnson spent nine years compiling his dictionary before it was published in 1755.

Chat with SearchBot

Samuel Johnson
Today’s Google doodle celebrates the British writer, Samuel Johnson, on his 308th birthday. A poet, essayist, biographer and critic, Johnson was a prolific writer, but he is often best known for his contribution as a lexicographer.

Johnson published “Dictionary of the English Language” in 1775, after nine years spent putting it together. His dictionary served as the primary English dictionary until the Oxford English Dictionary was published 150 years later.

“It was described as ‘one of the greatest single achievements of scholarship,’ and had a far-reaching effect on modern English,” writes Google on the Google Doodle Blog, “It was colossal at nearly 18-inches tall!”

The animated doodle honoring Johnson was designed by doodler Sophie Diao and includes an image of the writer within his “Dictionary of the English Language.” Highlighting the term lexicographer, the doodle leads to a search for “Samuel Johnson.”

Samuel Johnsons 308th Birthday

Today’s doodle includes Johnson’s definition for “lexicographer” — a writer of dictionaries; a harmless drudge that busies himself in tracing the original and detailing the signification of words, but my favorite Johnson quote has always been: “No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.” (Credited to Johnson in James Boswell’s “The Life of Samuel Johnson.”)


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Amy Gesenhues
Contributor
Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Search Engine Land, MarTech and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.

Get the must-read newsletter for search marketers.