20 Facts About Edward Dwelly

Edward Dwelly created the authoritative dictionary of Scottish Gaelic, and his work has had an influence on Irish Gaelic lexicography.

Edward Dwelly practised as a professional genealogist and published transcripts of many original documents relating to Somerset.

Edward Dwelly began collecting words at the age of seventeen and was a keen bagpiper.

Edward Dwelly released the dictionary in sections from 1901 onwards and the first full edition of his Illustrated Gaelic Dictionary in 1911 under the pen name of Eoghann MacDhomhnaill fearing that his work would not be well accepted under his own obviously English name.

Edward Dwelly continued collating entries from older dictionaries and recording thousands of new words, both from publications and from his travels in the Gaelic-speaking parts of Scotland.

Edward Dwelly illustrated, printed, bound and marketed his dictionary with help from his children and wife Mary McDougall whom he had married in 1896, herself a native Gaelic speaker, teaching himself the skills required.

In 1912, Dwelly self-published his Compendium of Notes on the Dwelly Family, a 54-page genealogical work on the Dwelly family from a John Duelye in 1229, mainly covering Britain, but with an American section, and pedigrees and parish register extracts with supporting notes.

Edward Dwelly returned to England in 1899 in order to care for his elderly widowed mother and remained there until his death in 1939.

Edward Dwelly began compiling and publishing the dictionary during this period, although at first he struggled to attract funding for its publication.

Edward Dwelly claimed in a preface that he gained a state pension from Edward VII for his work, although Berresford Ellis highlights the discrepancies in this claim, concluding, 'perhaps we shall never know the truth'.

Edward Dwelly's life has been little researched, the best study being the biographical introduction by Peter Berresford Ellis in Clyne's Appendix.

Edward Dwelly's illustrated Scottish Gaelic dictionary, consisting of well over one thousand pages, was truly a marvellous achievement in its day, particularly in view of the difficult circumstances which he faced in preparing it.

Edward Dwelly was nonetheless eager to express his gratitude to those who assisted him.

Edward Dwelly particularly expressed his thanks to the recently deceased King Edward VII for awarding him a Civil List Pension when only about one half of the dictionary had been published.

Edward Dwelly wished dearly to have been able to present a copy of his completed dictionary to the King and expressed sadness at the news of the King's death.

Edward Dwelly expressed his particular gratitude to his wife for revising proofs and assisting in correspondence as well as advising on many of the translations in addition to many other sacrifices on her part.

Edward Dwelly's preface is of particular interest to the student of Scottish Gaelic, since many of the difficulties which he faced then are applicable to today's Scottish Gaelic.

Scottish Gaelic speakers were often reluctant to engage in Scottish Gaelic conversation with students of Scottish Gaelic such as Edward Dwelly, generally preferring to speak to him in English.

Edward Dwelly often had to pose as a native speaker of Scottish Gaelic in order to obtain the opportunity to further his knowledge and understanding of colloquial Scottish Gaelic.

Edward Dwelly's dictionary contains over 70,000 entries and is widely regarded as the most comprehensive dictionary of the Scottish Gaelic language compiled to date.