Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles 2


The Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles Second Edition is a historical dictionary of words, phrases, and expressions that are characteristic of Canadian English. The second edition was edited by Stefan Dollinger and Margery Fee and includes features not part of the first edition: a six-way classification system for Canadianisms, the Dictionary Editing Tool, and the Bank of Canadian English, a quotation database''.

Accessing DCHP-2

DCHP-2 is accessible at . It is, like the current edition of the OED, an online-only publication; there is no hardcopy available at this point.

Creating DCHP-2

The process started with the scanning and digitization of the first edition of the dictionary. The online version of DCHP-1 was made publicly accessible in 2013. The main data collection phase for the DCHP-2 lasted from 2007 to 2010 and included 36,000 new citations derived from the 7,000 new potential headwords found in The Canadian Oxford Dictionary and other sources. Potential headwords and citations were cross-checked with other varieties of English using web data and entered into the Bank of Canadian English, a quotation filing system, to be proofread and edited. The potential headwords and citations were then classified into one of the six categories of Canadianisms according to their distinctive histories in Canada, cultural significance, or usage frequency.

Reception

Since its launch on March 17, 2017, public reception to the dictionary has been good. About 40 users consult the dictionary a day. The Toronto Star referred to it as a great "birthday gift for the nation" of Canada, The Globe and Mail lauded its detail and the CBC The National Newscast featured DCHP-2 in April 2017 as the topic of its cultural news item of the day.