The Linguist’s Calendar: June 16

Samuel Johnson

June 16

1783: Lexicographer Samuel Johnson is hit by a stroke that leads temporarily to an aphasic condition. Fortunately, he quickly recovers.

1902: Bertrand Russell writes to Gottlob Frege for the first time.

1911: The Concise Oxford English Dictionary is published.

1976: After a decision that half of the school subjects be taught in Afrikaans, 15 000 South African students riot in what has become known as the Soweto Uprising. Nationwide, the riot causes hundreds of casualties. Since 1996, the day is celebrated as the South African Youth day.

1998: In a BBC poll, 63% of the (presumably mostly British) respondents would favor the use of English as the one and only official language of the European union.
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