Oxford English Dictionary to go digital?

Posted on 2 Sep 2010 at 14:18

Proof - if proof were needed - of the growing success of the e-book and eReader market has come from a surprising source: the Oxford English Dictionary.

The Guardian reports that work on the third edition of the canonical multi-volume dictionary, an expensive copy of which graces the shelves of most well-stocked libraries, may end up in digital-only form.

The news comes from OUP chief executive Nigel Portwood, who described the traditional market for a printed dictionary as "just disappearing [...] falling away by tens of percent a year." Portwood was then asked if the long-awaited third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary would ever appear as a set of printed volumes, to which he replied "I don't think so."

Although the comments are far from an official announcement, the fact that the OED Third Edition is unlikely to see publication before the 2020s - at which point, the company claims, "a decision on format will be taken."

Work began on the OED Third Edition in 1989, when the word "eReader" certainly wouldn't have been considered for inclusion - but the popularity of electronic book readers today is undeniable: Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader range both sell well, and even Apple's iPad is joining in with its iBooks app.

With e-books offering additional benefits for the publisher - such as DRM protection and significantly reduced production costs - it's no wonder Portwood is thinking the days of print media might be numbered.

Author: Gareth Halfacree

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