Cover not available
Part of
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching: Historical perspectives
Edited by Richard Smith and Tim Giesler
[AILA Applied Linguistics Series 20] 2023
► pp. 24–42

Chapter 2
Tart–scriblita–torta–torte–torta–tortilha: A piece of cake!

Acquiring lexis in R. John Andree’s (1725) A vocabulary, in six languages

| University of Milan
| University of Milan
This chapter investigates R. John Andree’s A vocabulary, in six languages (London, 1725). This work was not conceived solely as a reference tool but with a pedagogical purpose as well; it was based on a comparative method to ease English native speakers’ acquisition of vocabulary in four living Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese) by showing their etymological similarity to their Latin ancestor – the fifth language in the Vocabulary – and between them, with English as the language of the entry words. Indeed, by viewing and memorizing Latin and Romance words together, the learner was expected to acquire them more easily. This chapter focuses on the dictionary, its method and the author’s language learning ideas and concludes with considerations relating to its contribution to innovation in language learning and teaching.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • R. John Andree’s A vocabulary, in six languages
  • Andree’s insights in relation to language learning
  • The Vocabulary’s macro- and micro-structure
  • Concluding remarks
  • Note on authorship
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 27 June 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aals.20.02iam
References (56)
References
Primary sources
Altieri, F. (1726–27). Dizionario italiano ed inglese. A dictionary Italian and English containing all the words of the Vocabulary della Crusca and several hundred more taken from the most approved authors; with proverbs and familiar phrases. To which is prefix’d a table of the authors quoted in this work. By F. Altieri, professor of the Italian tongue in London (2 Vols.). William and John Innys.Google Scholar
Andree, R. J. (1725). A vocabulary, in six languages; viz. English, Latin, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portugues, after a new method, to shew the dependance of the four last upon the Latin, and their mutual analogy to each other. With proper rules for their several pronunciations; and a dissertation upon their origin, change, and mixture; besides many other advantages, not to be met with in common dictionaries and vocabularies. To which is annexed, a brief dissertation upon pleasure and pain. P. Vaillant and W. Meadows.
(1729). A vocabulary after a new method, in six languages, viz. English, Latin, Italian, French, Spanish and Portugueze … (2nd ed.). N. Prevost & Co.Google Scholar
(1737). An account of the Tilbury water. J. Clarke and W. Meadows. (Further editions 1740, 1764, 1779, 1781, 1786).Google Scholar
(1746). Cases of the epilepsy, hysteric fits, and St. Vitus dance, with the process of cure: Interspersed with practical observations. To which are added cases of the bite of mad creatures, treated after the method of Dr. Default, with some additional means of my own; Observations upon the same, and remedies proposed for the cure of the hydrophobia. By John Andree, M.D. of the College of Physicians in London, and Physician in Ordinary to the London Infirmary. W. Meadows & J. Clarke. (Further edition 1753).Google Scholar
[1761]. Observations upon a treatise on the virtues of hemlock, in the cure of cancers. Written by Dr. Storck, an eminent physician in the imperial city of Vienna. Wherein the doctor’s cases in favour of that vegetable are candidly examined, and proved insufficient to be depended upon in divers instances. With some practical remarks upon cancers in general, and cautions interesting to all afflicted with this kind of malady. By John Andree, M.D. Member of the Royal College of Physicians, and Senior Physician to the London-Hospital. J. Meres.Google Scholar
Anon. (1728). L’interprète du voyageur, en quatre langues: sçavoir: l’anglois, & l’hollandois, le françois, & l’italien. … Revu & corrigé par J. Grandpré, … B. Creake.Google Scholar
Behrens, H. (1730). The natural history of Hartz-forest, in His Majesty King George’s German dominions. Being a succinct account of the caverns, lakes, springs, rivers, mountains, rocks, quarries, fossils, castles, gardens, the famous pagan idol Pustrich or Spit-fire, dwarf-holes, pits, moving islands, whirlpools, mines, several engines belonging to them;Ores, the manner of refining them; Smelting-houses; Several sorts of ovens, hammer-mills, vitriol and glass-houses, &c. in the said forest: With several useful and entertaining physical observation. Written in German by H. Behrens, M. D. T. Osborne.Google Scholar
Brerewood, E. (1614). Enquiries touching the diversity of languages, and religions through the cheife parts of the world. Written by Edw. Brerewood lately professor of astronomy in Gresham Colledge in London. Iohn Bill.Google Scholar
Calepio, A. (1502). Dictionarium latinum. Dionisio Bertocchi.Google Scholar
Desault, P. (1738). A treatise on the venereal distemper, containing a method of curing it without salivation, danger, or great expence. With two dissertations; The first on madness from the bite of mad creatures; The second on consumptions. With a method of curing them radically. By Pierre Desault, M.D. and member of the College of Physicians of Bordeaux. Translated from the French by John Andree, M. D. John Clarke.
Florio, J. (1578). Florio his firste fruites: Which yeelde familiar speech, merie prouerbes, wittie sentences, and golden sayings. Also a perfect induction to the Italian, and English tongues, as in the table appeareth. The like heretofore, neuer by any man published. Thomas Woodcocke.Google Scholar
Howell, J. (1642). Instructions for foreign travel. Shewing by what cours, and in what compasse of time, one may take an exact survey of the kingdoms and states of Christendome, and arrive to the practicall knowledge of the languages, to good purpose. Humphrey Mosley.Google Scholar
(1660). Lexicon tetraglotton, An English-French-Italian-Spanish dictionary … Samuel Thomson.Google Scholar
Nemnich, P. A. (1799). An universal European dictionary of merchandise, in the English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Polish & Latin languages. By Philip Andrew Nemnich, I.U.I Author of the Catholicon, or Polyglot Lexicon, lately published at Hamburgh. J. Johnson, J. Remnant, & W. Remnant.Google Scholar
Neuman, H. (1799). A marine pocket-dictionary, of the Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and German languages, with an English-French, and French-English index; Being a collection of a great variety of the most useful sea-terms in the above idioms. By Henry Neuman, agent, and translator of languages. Printed for the Author.Google Scholar
Wilkins, J. (1668). An essay towards a real character, and a philosophical language. Sa. Gellibrand and John Martin.Google Scholar
Willson, J. (1794). The soldier’s pocket dictionary, or friend in need: Being a vocabulary of many thousand words, terms, and questions, in general use, and most likely to occur in military service, expressed in six languages, viz. English, German, Dutch, French, Italian, and Spanish. To which are annexed, accurate tables of the coins of various European nations. Designed and arranged by Capt. James Willson, of the Marines. Dedicated to His Royal Highness the Duke of York. R. Hindmarsh.Google Scholar
Secondary sources
Bach, S., Brunet, J., & Mastrelli, C. A. (2008). Quadrivio romanzo. Dall’italiano al francese, allo spagnolo, al portoghese. Accademia della Crusca.Google Scholar
Barton, S., & Brodie, A. (2014). Travel and tourism in Britain, 1700–1914. Pickering & Chatto.Google Scholar
Benucci, A. (Ed.). (2005). Le lingue romanze. Una guida per l’intercomprensione. Utet Università Torino.Google Scholar
Berti, L. (2019). An international master key to the languages of trade: P. A. Nemnich’s Universal European Dictionary of Merchandise. Aevum, 93(3), 747–772.Google Scholar
Berti, L., & Iamartino, G. (2021). Competing methodologies in 19th-century foreign language teaching: Moses Santagnello (and others) vs James Hamilton. Linguistica e Filologia, 41, 13–50.Google Scholar
Black, J. (2011). The British and the Grand Tour. Routledge Revivals.Google Scholar
Blanche-Benveniste, C. (2008). Aspetti lessicali del confronto tra lingue romanze. Esiste un lessico europeo? In M. Barni, C. Bagna, & D. Troncarelli (Eds.), Lessico e apprendimenti: Il ruolo del lessico nella linguistica educativa (pp. 47–66). FrancoAngeli.Google Scholar
Blanche-Benveniste, C., & Valli, A. (Eds.). (1997). L’intercompréhension: Le cas des langues romanes. Hachette.Google Scholar
Bonvino, E., Fiorenza, E., & Cortés Velásquez, D. (2018). Observing strategies in intercomprehension reading. Some clues for assessment in plurilingual settings. Frontiers in Communication, 3(29), 1–15. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cannon, J. (2006). Carteret, John, second Earl Granville (1690–1763), politician. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved on 1 June 2019 from [URL]
Coffey, S. (Ed.). (2021). The history of grammar in foreign language teaching. Amsterdam University Press.Google Scholar
Colletta, L. (2015). The legacy of the Grand Tour: New essays on travel, literature, and culture. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.Google Scholar
Considine, J. (2008). Dictionaries in early modern Europe. Lexicography and the making of heritage. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Donato, C., & Pasquarelli-Gascon, V. (2015). The language of the other: Italian for Spanish speakers through intercomprehension. Italica, 92(3), 713–735.Google Scholar
Doyé, P. (2007). A methodological framework for the teaching of intercomprehension. The Language Learning Journal, 30(1), 59–68. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dzik, D. (2019). Intercomprehension – A mere dream or a new way of learning in a globalised world? Politeja, 60, 155–166.Google Scholar
Eco, U. (1995). The search for the perfect language. Blackwell.Google Scholar
Firth, C. (1929). Modern languages at Oxford 1724–1929. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gibbs, D. (2003). Dr John Andree, MD (Rheims) LRCP, founding physician of the London Hospital. Journal of Medical Biography, 11(2), 87–94. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2004). Andree, John (1697/8–1785), physician. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved on 1 May 2019 from [URL]
Herendeen, W. H. (1988). William Camden: Historian, herald, and antiquary. Studies in Philology, 85(2), 192–210.Google Scholar
(2007). William Camden: A life in context. Boydell & Brewer.Google Scholar
Howatt, A. P. R., & Smith, R. C. (2000). General introduction. In A. P. R. Howatt & R. C. Smith (Eds.), Foundations of foreign language teaching: Nineteenth-century innovators (Vol. 1, pp. v–xlvii). Routledge.Google Scholar
(Eds.). (2002). Modern language teaching: The Reform Movement (5 Vols.). Routledge.Google Scholar
Hüllen, W. (1999). English dictionaries, 800–1700. The topical tradition. Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
Iamartino, G. (2001). Foreign words in the kit bag: James Willson’s The Soldier’s Pocket-Dictionary of 1794. In C. Kay & L. Sylvester (Eds.), Lexis and texts in early English: Papers in honour of Jane Roberts (pp. 143–160). Rodopi. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2020). European cross-currents in English lexicography. In S. Ogilvie (Ed.), The Cambridge companion to English dictionaries (pp. 58–74). Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Klippel, F., & Kemmler, R. (Eds.). (2021). The Reform Movement and the grammar-translation method. Special issue of Language & History, 64(3). DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Knowlson, J. (1975). Universal language schemes in England and France, 1600–1800. Toronto University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Labarre, A. (1975). Bibliographie du Dictionarium d’Ambrogio Calepino (1502–1779). Editions Valentin Koerner.Google Scholar
McLelland, N. (2017). Teaching and learning foreign languages: A history of language education, assessment and policy in Britain. Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Reinhold, M. (1968). Opponents of classical learning in America during the revolutionary period. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 112(4), 221–234.Google Scholar
Salmon, V. (1985). The study of foreign languages in 17th-century England. In Histoire Épistémologie Langage, 7(2), 45–70. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schwarze, S. (2014). Il principio di intercomprensione nell’insegnamento delle lingue romanze e il metodo EuroComRom. In F. Rossi (Ed.), La creatività nell’insegnamento dell’italiano per stranieri (pp. 19–36). Le Lettere.Google Scholar
Slaughter, M. M. (1982). Universal languages and scientific taxonomy in the seventeenth century. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Sweet, R. (2012). Cities and the Grand Tour: The British in Italy, c. 1690–1820. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Tompson, R. S. (1971). Classics or charity? The dilemma of the 18th-century grammar school. Manchester University Press.Google Scholar
Tosi, A. (2020). Language and the Grand Tour. Linguistic experiences of travelling in early modern Europe. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar