description William Somner Overview
William Somner (1598–1669) was an English antiquary and scholar based in Canterbury, Kent. His major work, the Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum, was published in 1659 and was the first substantial dictionary of Old English. The dictionary remained a standard reference for Old English studies for over a century. Somner also wrote histories of Canterbury and Kent, including The Antiquities of Canterbury (1640).
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Who was William Somner?
William Somner was an English antiquary and scholar based in Canterbury, Kent. He lived from 1598 to 1669 and is remembered especially for his work on Old English.
What is Somner's most important book?
His major work was Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum, published in 1659. It was the first substantial dictionary of Old English.
Why was Somner's dictionary significant?
The 1659 dictionary gave scholars a major reference for interpreting Old English vocabulary. It remained a standard reference work for Old English long after Somner's lifetime.
Where did William Somner do his scholarly work?
Somner was based in Canterbury, Kent, where he worked as an antiquary and scholar. His local setting was important because Canterbury had deep medieval and ecclesiastical connections to English history.
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