A Dictionary of Architecture and Building, Vol. 1 of 3: Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Sturgis, Russell

9780331226744: A Dictionary of Architecture and Building, Vol. 1 of 3: Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive (Classic Reprint)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 033122674X ISBN 13: 9780331226744

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

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Excerpt from A Dictionary of Architecture and Building, Vol. 1 of 3: Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive

This requirement is fitness for ready consultation. III order to meet this requirement two separate features must be combined, alphabetical arrangement carried to minute subdivision, and cross references in abundance. In'a glossary, that is, a list of words with their apparent mean ings brieﬂy stated, no cross references are needed other than the occasional definition of one term as the same as that of another. As soon, however, as the definitions grow into explanation, and these explanatory definitions into essays or descriptions, which exceed in length three or four score words each, it becomes evident that much matter given under one. Caption may be very useful indeed if found in connection with another caption in another part of the work. Therefore, to avoid the obviously impracticable repetition of the substance of whole paragraphs, there suggests itself an elaborate system of references, backward and forward. By the use of these references the student may, at his pleasure, enlarge the description or the discussion before him by consulting two or three or perhaps a dozen articles. The possibility of such reference from one article to another may be increased indefinitely by the insertion of articles serving primarily as indices to other articles in the same work. Thus in the book now presented the article Aboriginal American Architecture refers to a great number of terms under which treatment of that general subject will be found under Columnar Architecture will be found a list of terms in common use, each of which is defined in its alphabetical place, and by comparison of which the Whole subject may be thought to be adequately presented. The value of this feature will be recognized by those persons who have ever thought how much we need a reversed dictionary, a book which shall tell us the names of the things which we know of and cannot put a name to. Thus, in the matter of Columnar Architecture, it is sometimes desirable to find out quickly the proper term for the colonnade of seven columns; but no dictionary, unless elaborated in the way above suggested, will do that. It will only tell you that heptastyle means having seven columns, which is a different thing.

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