I have an interesting gift idea for the upcoming birthday (22 yrs) of our S. Problem is I have no idea how to find and purchase this gift, so I though I’d turn to CC for help.
First, a little back ground. Our S graduated MSCS from Stanford in 2021 and is currently happily working in SV. He is deep into artificial intelligence and machine learning. Interestingly, he really likes an appreciates old things. Among his prized possessions a brass surveyors compass from the late 1800’s and a handful of engineering text books from the early 1900’s.
So, my idea is this- I’d like to buy two dictionaries that illustrate the changing definition of the word “Computer”. Internet searches show that up to around 1935, the definition starts with “A person who….”. Then, sometime between 1935 and 1945 the definition referred to a machine, rather than a person. What I would like to find are the two dictionaries that capture that change. Something like a 1936 Websters dictionary containing a definition with “A person who…” and then the 1937 version with the first use of “A machine that…”
The problems are that I’m not sure of the two exact years and I’m not sure how to contact someone with the expertise to help.
Call a large library system and start with them. Ask if they know any resources for hard copy or online copies of old dictionaries. Or email a couple of dictionary companies (do they still exist?) who would have had editions back then - and ask for resources.
Once you know a year (and perhaps a publishing company) you could start an ebay or FB Marketplace or otherwise search for copies.
Is it important to you to have the hard copy page - or would a snap shot of a page with this entry suffice??
BTW, it’s an amazing gift idea! Get it professionally framed.
Powells, but old dictionaries may be harder to find than you think…You might also contact someone on Etsy and see about custom printing what you want. Try a simple search and see what pops up
I love this idea and just spent 10 minutes reading about the history of the word “computer”! According to this article, the Oxford English Dictionary definition was updated in 1946 to refer to a machine rather than a human computer. Maybe that will help a bit.
Internet Archive / Open Library openlibrary.org may have resources to help identify the year the definition changed (in case the article I referenced is incorrect).
Once you figure out the year (or close to it), I just noticed there are some old dictionaries for sale on Etsy. (I was shopping for something else and took a chance with a search for at random “1935 dictionary”.) I would not have considered Etsy as a possible source so thought I’d mention it. A rare book dealer is most likely the best source but trying to think out of the box.
A quick eBay search turned up 1934 and 1936 Webster’s dictionaries as well as several other options. I’m sure the sellers would look at the definition of “computer” for you before purchasing.
I’m wondering if you will actually find before and after - my 1968 Webster’s has both definitions in the first phrase - person then device. Possibly they just amended the original definition.
This thread made me think of Hidden Figures and the shift from human computers to IBM. So the term was used for people well into the 1960’s. NASA's Real 'Hidden Figures' | Space
Great detective work!!
I actually thought of Hidden Figures as well.
And your post had me look online on Dictionary.com which also defines computer as either a person and one a machine. See below:
a programmable electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations. Mainframes, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones are some of the different types of computers.Compare analog computer, digital computer.
Finding the year of transition is proving difficult. Using the link provided by @DramaMama2021 I found this definition in “An American dictionary of the English language”, Merriman-Webster, 1880. I have not found any online viewable dictionaries in the 1930-1940 time-frame. The hunt continues……
