The Enid Blyton Society

Older forumites might have thought it referred to this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moonraker" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But I don't think Nigel would see himself as the Earl of Dawlish.

Dave

You never know.

Why is everyone turning into Cary Grant?!

Fair point Rob - I'll give your eyes a break!

Now that looks like you, Pete!!

This isn't quite on topic, but I don't want to start a whole new thread on it. Here's an entry from the Oxford Dictionary blog about quotes from Enid that are used as examples in the OED! (Which surely goes to show there's plenty of richness and variety in her language, if one of the world's most respected dictionaries quotes her so often.)

Brilliant...BUT the last paragraph makes me want to scream!!!!

They really should have added that those particular editions (2010) have gone out of print and the "classic" (or less-altered) texts reinstated. What impressed me more is that they made no allegations of racism or sexism or dumbed-down language, only a supposed "upper class" bias!

Remember what the purpose of the OED is.

The OED is intended to be the definitive work on the history of the vocabulary of the English language. A particular author (such as Enid) isn't included because the editors of the OED consider them a "great" author, but instead because the author illustrates a particular part of English vocabulary at a particular time. They are using Enid because she gives us great insights into the ordinary language of the time she was writing, particularly the language of children.

kevp

she was also 'good enough' to be included when many of her contemporaries were not!

Er, did I say anywhere that the Oxford Dictionary considered Enid a "great" author? They rightly don't make judgments either way on whether any of the authors they quote are "great" in the sense of being giants in the canon of English literature. They simply, as you say, pick quotes that "give great insights into the ordinary language of the time [the author] was writing". Which, as most of us would agree, Enid Blyton does very well.

Considering how often her works have been dismissed by critics as simplistic, dumbed-down, unimaginative, repetitive, ephemeral and so on (even apart from all the accusations of racism, sexism, classism etc.), I just thought it was worth noting that a leading English dictionary has chosen a number of her quotes as exemplary uses of language.

What I was trying to say was that I don't think that the use of a quote by the OED means that they consider the author "exemplary". They are not holding up the quotes as somehow ideal, they are just neutrally commenting, "this is how some English speakers use this term, or have used this term in the past". That's what the objective of the OED is. It is not a source if you are looking for "exemplary" uses of the English language.

Its still amazing that they use Blyton quotes when there are so many other authors they could have chosen!!

Well, think of this. If you are an editor of the OED, you get to spend all your time reading your favorite authors . . .

Rob Houghton wrote: Its still amazing that they use Blyton quotes when there are so many other authors they could have chosen!!

Not to mention the fact that they chose to publish a blog highlighting the fact that they had done so!

Once again: I wasn't insinuating that the OED chose Enid Blyton quotes to suggest that "Enid Blyton is the greatest user of these words in the history of the English language." It's not their job to make that kind of judgment about any author. I'm merely impressed that they chose quotes from her as good examples of the usage of certain words — especially in light of all the criticism she's received elsewhere over the years.