lexicography Lexicography is the study of lexicons, and is divided into two separate academic disciplines. It is the art of compiling dictionaries. * Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries. * Theoreti ...

, antedating is finding earlier citations of a particular term than those already known.James Gleick:
Cyber-Neologoliferation. The Oxford English Dictionary meets Cyberspace
', New York Times Magazine, 5 November 2006{{dubious, date=July 2014 Historical dictionaries such as the

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...

provide citations meant to show the evolution of every word, beginning with the earliest known usage. Antedating is a key task in lexicography and a popular sport. By indicating limitations of dictionaries, antedating raises important questions of the consistency of editorial policies, and of the exhaustiveness and accuracy of dictionary material. The issue has thus been addressed in several major studies as well as in hundreds of papers tracing individual words, some of which are by-products of historical or linguistic research. Similar activities are postdating (finding more recent evidence of words than is currently quoted) and interdating (intermediate evidence where large gaps in dating evidence exist). To encourage and facilitate this process, dedicated submission forms are available on the internet and regular appeals to the public for investigation are being made.Oxford English Dictionary homepage:
About the OED Appeals
' The appeal

Wordhunt Wordhunt was a national appeal run by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', looking for earlier evidence of the use of 50 words and phrases in the English language. New evidence found by members of the public in response to the appeal appears in the ...

was part of the TV show

Balderdash and Piffle ''Balderdash and Piffle'' is a British television programme on BBC in which the writers of the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' asked the public for help in finding the origins and first known citations of a number of words and phrases. Presented b ...

on BBC.

References

Literature

* Erin McKean: '' hat Came First: The Competitive Sport of Antedating',

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

, October 14, 2007 * David L. Gold:
An Aspect Of Lexicography Still Not Fully Professionalized: The Search For Antedatings And Postdatings
', Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses 18 (2005): 25-69 Etymology