Frederic
G. Cassidy
(1907-2000)
The following resolution was unanimously adopted by the National Council on the Humanities at its 14 July 2000 meeting in Washington, DC:
Whereas the members of the National Council note with sadness the recent death of Frederic G. Cassidy, creator and chief editor of the Dictionary of American Regional English;
Dr. Cassidy, thought by many to be the dean of English language studies in America, dedicated over 35 years to the production of the first three volumes of this dictionary which has generally been acknowledged to be a singular work that combines exemplary scholarship and broad public appeal;
Researchers, teachers, journalists, and everyone interested in how language is used will long benefit from Dr. Cassidy's extraordinary ability to map the variations of our spoken language in a way that illuminates the rich cultural diversity of the American people;
Therefore, the members of this Council extend their condolences to his family, to his colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, and to the staff of the Dictionary of American Regional English.