Editing Old English (section)

=== Early history ===
The earliest history of Old English [[lexicography]] lies in the Anglo-Saxon period itself, when English-speaking scholars created English [[glosses]] on Latin texts. At first, these were often [[marginalia|marginal]] or [[interlinear]] glosses; however, they soon came to be gathered into word-lists such as the [[Épinal-Erfurt glossary|Épinal-Erfurt]], [[Leiden Glossary|Leiden]] and [[Corpus Glossary|Corpus]] Glossaries. Over time, these word-lists were consolidated and alphabetised to create extensive Latin–Old English glossaries with some of the character of dictionaries, such as the [[Cleopatra Glossaries]], the [[Harley Glossary]] and the [[Brussels Glossary]].<ref>Patrizia Lendinara, 'Anglo-Saxon Glosses and Glossaries: An Introduction', in Anglo-Saxon Glosses and Glossaries (Aldershot: Variorum, 1999), pp.&nbsp;1–26.</ref> In some cases, the material in these glossaries continued to be circulated and updated in [[Middle English]] glossaries, such as the [[Durham Plant-Name Glossary]] and the [[Laud Herbal Glossary]].<ref>''{{lang|de|Das Durhamer Pflanzenglossar: lateinisch und altenglish}}'', ed. by Bogislav von Lindheim, Beiträge zur englischen Philologie, 35 (Bochum-Langendreer: Poppinghaus, 1941).</ref>

Old English lexicography was revived in the early modern period, drawing heavily on Anglo-Saxons' own glossaries. The major publication at this time was [[William Somner]]'s ''Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum''.<ref>William Somner, ''Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum'', English Linguistics 1500–1800 (A Collection of Facsimile Reprints), 247 (Menston: The Scholar Press, 1970).</ref> The next substantial Old English dictionary was [[Joseph Bosworth]]'s ''Anglo-Saxon Dictionary'' of 1838.