liveinthemountainsoftheeasternUSAspeakwithanolderkindofEnglishdialect.WhenAmericansmovedfromoneplacetoanother,theytooktheirdialectswiththem.SopeoplefromthemountainsinthesoutheasternUSAspeakwithalmostthesamedialectsaspeopleinthenorthwesternUSA.TheUSAisalargecountryinwhichmanydifferentdialectsarespoken.AlthoughmanyAmericansmovealot,theystillrecognizeandunderstandeachother’sdialects.THEOXFORDENGLISHDICTIONARYYoumaythinkthatEnglishdictionarieshavebeenusedformany,manycenturies.ThespellingofEnglishhasalwaysbeenaproblembutitwasmoreofaprobleminthedaysbeforeadictionary.Thenpeoplecouldspellwordindifferentwayswhichyoumightfinditinteresting.ButitmadereadingEnglishmuchmoredifficult.Sodictionarieswereinventedtoencourageeverybodytospellthesame.Infact,anEnglishdictionarylikethekindyouusetodaywasn’tmadeuntilthetimeofthelateQingDynasty.Theremendidmostoftheimportantearlyworkondictionaries:SamuelJohnson,NoahWebster,andJamesMurray.Thesemenspentnearlyalloftheirlivestryingtocollectwordsfortheirdictionaries.Forthem,itwasn’tonlyajob;itwasawonderfuljourneyofdiscovery.ThelargestdictionaryintheworldistheOxfordEnglishDictionary,orOEDforshort.TheideaforthisdictionarycamefromanimportantmeetinginBritainin1857.Twenty-twoyearslater,OxfordUniversityaskedJamesMurraytobetheeditorofitsnewdictionary.Murrayhadneverbeentocollege.Attheageoffourteen,helefthisvillageschoolinScotlandandtaughthimselfwhileworkinginabank.Laterhebecameagreatteacher.AfterOxfordgavehimthejob,Murrayhadaplacebuiltinthegardenbehindhishousetodohiswork.Partofitwasonemeterunderground.Inwinteritfeltlikeabarn,hehadtowearaheavycoatandputhisfeetinaboxtokeepwarm.Everymorning,Murraygotoutofbedatfiveo’clockandworkedseveralhoursbeforebreakfast.Oftenhewouldworkbythecandlelightintotheevening.Murrayhopedtofinishthenewdictionaryintenyears.Butafterfiveyears,hewasstilladdingwordsfortheletterA!thenotherswenttoworkwithMurray,includinghistwodaughters.Heworkedonthedictionaryuntilhewasveryold.Forty-fouryearslater,in1928,othereditorsfinishedit.Itincludedmore