Some notes on the life and work of John Minsheu (1560–1627)

Vivian Salmon
London
Summary

John Minsheu (1560–1627) has long been known to historians of lexicography as the author of an impressive comparative and etymological dictionary, Ductor in Linguas (1617). Less well known is his grammar of Spanish (1599), which is unusual for its time in displaying interest in socio-linguistic issues. This paper is intended to stimulate interest in the neglected grammar and to propose a solution to the mystery of Minsheu’s biography – a topic likewise overlooked in the literature. The paper ends with a set of proposals for further research.

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