Preface to the fourth edition 2001 DICTIONARY-MAKING. LIKE PAINTING THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE, NEVER ENDS. As soon as an edition goes into production, I open a file for amendments to be made in the next one Formal preparation of this edition began in April 1999, when I distributed by e-mail and airmail a list of proposed items to about 80 correspondents around the world. I sent an expanded list to more than 100 correspondents in June 1999, and in August 1999 I sent more items and questions to about 130 correspondents. Finally, in January 2000, I asked a small group-Janet Byron Anderson, Iain Chalmers, Gary Friedman, Sander Greenland, Susan Harris, Ian McDowell, Miquel Porta, Bob Spasoff, Mervyn Susser, Michel Thuriaux, and Don Wigle--to review the new and revised old entries. The entire process is as open and iterative as practical realities allow. The wording of many definitions has been refined in light of repeated discussions with many participants. This edition tains the fruits of these labors-amounting to more than 150 new items nd about as many revisions of existing entries. There are more citations and statements about the provenance of terminology than in previous editions and several new illustrations. A few items previously included and several illustrations have been dropped. There are some notes for users. The acronyms have been integrated into the text. As in previous editions, flexibility in the use of technical terms is implied, although preferred usage is suggested by placement of detailed entries. The guiding principle has been to create a dictionary that is authoritative but not authoritarian. The improvements in this revision reflect the help of all those named here and others not named. All the shortcomings are mine John m. last Ottawa, May 2000Dictionary-making, like painting the Sydney Harbour Bridge, never ends. As soon as an edition goes into production, I open a fi le for amendments to be made in the next one. Formal preparation of this edition began in April 1999, when I distributed by e-mail and airmail a list of proposed items to about 80 correspondents around the world. I sent an expanded list to more than 100 correspondents in June 1999, and in August 1999 I sent more items and questions to about 130 correspondents. Finally, in January 2000, I asked a small group—Janet Byron Anderson, Iain Chalmers, Gary Friedman, Sander Greenland, Susan Harris, Ian McDowell, Miquel Porta, Bob Spasoff, Mervyn Susser, Michel Thuriaux, and Don Wigle—to review the new and revised old entries. The entire process is as open and iterative as practical realities allow. The wording of many defi nitions has been refi ned in light of repeated discussions with many participants. This edition contains the fruits of these labors—amounting to more than 150 new items and about as many revisions of existing entries. There are more citations and statements about the provenance of terminology than in previous editions and several new illustrations. A few items previously included and several illustrations have been dropped. There are some notes for users. The acronyms have been integrated into the text. As in previous editions, fl exibility in the use of technical terms is implied, although preferred usage is suggested by placement of detailed entries. The guiding principle has been to create a dictionary that is authoritative but not authoritarian. The improvements in this revision refl ect the help of all those named here and others not named. All the shortcomings are mine. John M. Last Ottawa, May 2000 Preface to the Fourth Edition, 2001 xiii