In the Johnson dictionary preface excerpt, the author notes that the work relied on

In the Johnson dictionary preface excerpt, the author notes that the work relied on

• A. A predetermined list of words from other dictionaries
• B. A personal method of collecting and organizing words through reading and analogy
• C. A focus on purely literary analysis
• D. An emphasis on spelling reform

Answer: (B)

The method Johnson describes is a personal, hands‑on way of building the dictionary from actual language use. He explains that he gathered words as he read broadly, pulling them from a wide range of authors and contexts, and then organized them using the patterns and relationships he observed—essentially using analogy to connect senses and usages. This shows the work was not a reproduction of someone else’s list, not a purely literary analysis project, and not a project aimed at spelling reform. Instead, it rests on collecting real examples from reading and shaping entries through a method of comparison and context.

The method Johnson describes is a personal, hands‑on way of building the dictionary from actual language use. He explains that he gathered words as he read broadly, pulling them from a wide range of authors and contexts, and then organized them using the patterns and relationships he observed—essentially using analogy to connect senses and usages. This shows the work was not a reproduction of someone else’s list, not a purely literary analysis project, and not a project aimed at spelling reform. Instead, it rests on collecting real examples from reading and shaping entries through a method of comparison and context.