"The Cinic Scotomastic"?: Johnson, his Commentators, Scots, French, and the Story of English

The century that followed the publication of Johnson’s Dictionary saw a growing debate on the origin of English, its ‘antiquity’ and its connection with prestigious ancient languages. Views on lexis, etymology, linguistic history, and its ideological interpretation, may thus provide the backdrop against which the reception of the Dictionary itself is perhaps discussed most fruitfully. Within this framework, it may be particularly interesting to concentrate on Scotland; as is well-known, the lexicographer got remarkably bad publicity north of the Border, on account of a few ‘Scottish’ entries (oats was perhaps the most notorious one). However, such negative comments should be viewed in a more general framework of growing attention to Scots as a variety in itself and of early outlines of the history of English. It will thus be possible to observe to what extent there was in fact a degree of convergence between Johnson and his opponents as far as an antiquarian interest and a negative opinion of French influence on English were concerned.