John Ash (c. 1724–1779) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Baptist minister at Pershore,

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...

, and author of an English dictionary and grammar books.

Life

Ash was born in

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

about 1724. He studied for the ministry at

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, under Bernard Foskett, became pastor at

Loughwood Meeting House Loughwood Meeting House is a historic Baptist chapel, south of the village of Dalwood, Devon in England. There was a meeting house on this site in 1653, although the current building may date from the late 17th century or early 18th ...

, a Baptist chapel near the village of

Dalwood Dalwood is a village and county parish in the East Devon district of the English county of Devon. It is approximately away from the nearest town, Axminster, and away from Honiton. Dalwood can be accessed by the nearby A35 road. The village is ...

in Dorset, and while there contributed to periodicals. He settled in the ministry at Pershore in 1746, as the result of a compromise between different parties in the congregation. He obtained a degree of LL.D. from a Scottish university in 1774, and died at Pershore in March or April 1779, aged 55.

Works

Ash is best known as a lexicographer, author of: *'' New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language'', 2 vols. 1775, 2nd edition 1795. Ash's ''New and Complete Dictionary'' was noteworthy for the number of

obsolete Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer maintained or required even though it may still be in good working order. It usually happens when something that is more efficient or less risky r ...

and

provincial Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Can ...

words contained in it. It incorporated most of

Nathan Bailey Nathan Bailey (died 27 June 1742), was an English philologist and lexicographer. He was the author of several dictionaries, including his '' Universal Etymological Dictionary'', which appeared in some 30 editions between 1721 and 1802. Bailey's ...

's collection of canting words. This dictionary was the first to define in English the previously omitted words ''

fuck ''Fuck'' is an English-language expletive. It often refers to the act of sexual intercourse, but is also commonly used as an intensifier or to convey disdain. While its origin is obscure, it is usually considered to be first attested to aro ...

'' and ''

cunt ''Cunt'' () is a vulgar word for the vulva or vagina. It is used in a variety of ways, including as a term of disparagement. Reflecting national variations, ''cunt'' can be used as a disparaging and obscene term for a woman in the United Stat ...

''. His debt to

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

was demonstrated in a famous error in his

etymology Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...

of the word ''

curmudgeon Curmudgeon may refer to: * ''Dyskolos'', sometimes translated ''The Curmudgeon'', an ancient Greek comic play by Menander * ''Curmudgeons'' (film), a 2016 short film See also * '' I, Curmudgeon'', a 2004 documentary film by Alan Zweig * The Comi ...

'', which he says derives from the French for "unknown correspondent"; Johnson's ''

A Dictionary of the English Language ''A Dictionary of the English Language'', sometimes published as ''Johnson's Dictionary'', was published on 15 April 1755 and written by Samuel Johnson. It is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language. T ...

'' from twenty years before had suggested (erroneously, as it happens) that the word derives from "cœur méchant" (malicious-hearted), attributing his information to an "unknown correspondent". ''Ash's Dictionary'' is mentioned in

Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Word ...

's novel ''

Far from the Madding Crowd ''Far from the Madding Crowd'' (1874) is Thomas Hardy's fourth novel and his first major literary success. It originally appeared anonymously as a monthly serial in ''Cornhill Magazine'', where it gained a wide readership. The novel is set in ...

''. An earlier work was: * '' Grammatical Institutes''.''Grammatical Institutes; or, An Easy Introduction to Dr. Lowth's Grammar'', 1785 ed. (facsimile ed., 1979, Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, ). It has been commented that "Ash understood much better than

Lowth Lowth is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Alfred Lowth (1817-1907), English cricketer * Ambrose Lowth (d. 1545), English politician * Colin Lowth (born 1987), English swimmer *Edward Lowth Badeley (1803/1804–1868), English law ...

what it took to write a grammar for children." Other works: *'Sentiments on Education,' 2 vols. 1777; Sermon, 1778; 'Dialogues of Eumenes.'

References

#
Linguistic History notes
# Notes about John Ash at

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

'
Word of the Day

to Ash's New and Complete Dictionary.

of Primary and Secondary Texts pertaining to the Study of English in Eighteenth-Century Great Britain (at Emory.edu)
The codifiers and the English language: tracing the norms of Standard English
#

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Ash, John 1720s births 1779 deaths 18th-century English Baptist ministers English lexicographers Year of birth uncertain Linguists of English Clergy from Dorset Writers from Dorset People from Pershore 18th-century English non-fiction writers 18th-century English male writers 18th-century English writers Members of the Lunar Society of Birmingham 18th-century lexicographers