Publication of Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language in 1961 caused public uproar.
In this work the lexicographers attempted to reflect contemporary usage and to describe language as their evidence showed it, rather than as a system of rules.
Webster's Third, as it became known, included many slang words and technical terms, and its pronunciation schemes indicate regional speech patterns. Many critics denounced it for what they considered its failure to uphold traditional standards, and many defended it energetically as a comprehensive and accurate depiction of its material.
