Read the excerpt from Samuel Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language.The two languages from which our primitives have been derived are the Roman and Teutonick: under the Roman I comprehend the French and provincial tongues; and under the Teutonick range the Saxon, German, and all their kindred dialects.
A
clarifies words’ pronunciations.B
questions words’ literary importance.C
explains words’ origins and variations.D
offers criticism of words’ common usages.