Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson

Abstract

Yule and Burnell’s famous Anglo-Indian glossary Hobson-Jobson was first published in 1886 and thence updated by William Crooke in 1903. It is still widely available today, and despite the fact that its contents are over a century out of date, it is still used as a reference work for Indian English. Since its publication it has generally received positive reviews and very little in the way of critical comment or analysis of the text. Moreover, the literature on Hobson-Jobson is beset by inaccurate statements or is otherwise couched in hedges due to a lack of precise knowledge about the dictionary’s contents. This paper provides an overview of the critical attention Hobson-Jobson has received, summarises the editing and printing history, and then presents a wholly new analysis of the dictionary, bringing to light many previously unknown facts.