Ann Fisher (grammarian) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Fisher
Plaque for Ann Fisher at St John the Baptist's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne
Born	Lorton, Cumberland
Baptised	9 December 1719
Died	2 May 1778(1778-05-02) (aged 58) Newcastle upon Tyne
Burial place	St. John’s Church, Newcastle upon Tyne
Other names	Anne Fisher; Ann Slack; A. Fisher; Ann Fisher Slack
Occupation	Grammarian
Years active	c. 1745-1778
Known for	first woman to publish modern English grammar; first woman to publish English dictionary
Notable work	A Practical New Grammar (1750); An Accurate New Spelling Dictionary (1773)
Movement	Reformation of English grammar
Spouse(s)	Thomas Slack ​ (m. 1751)​
Children	Mary (1752-1825), Ann (1754-1784), Jane (1755-1776), Elizabeth (1758-1789), Sarah (Hodgson) (1760-1822), Frances (1762-1765), Hanah (1764-1855), Margaret (1766-1768), Margaret (1768)

Ann Fisher (born around December 9, 1719 – died May 2, 1778) was an amazing English writer. She wrote several popular books. She was the first woman to publish a book about modern English grammar. This book was called A New Grammar (1745). She was also the first woman to publish an English dictionary. Ann Fisher even suggested using "he" to refer to both boys and girls in a general way. Her daughter, Sarah, later helped run a newspaper called The Newcastle Chronicle, which Ann helped start.

Life

Ann Fisher was born in Lorton, a village in Cumberland, England. Her father, Henry Fisher, was a farmer. Ann ran a school for girls for five years.

In December 1751, she married Thomas Slack. He was a publisher and bookseller from Newcastle upon Tyne. Ann and Thomas had nine daughters together. Sadly, some of their children died young. Only five of their daughters lived longer than their mother.

Ann and Thomas ran several businesses together. They had a printing press and started a newspaper called The Newcastle Chronicle. Ann was friends with many talented people. These included the writer James Robertson and the poet John Cunningham.

Ann Fisher passed away in 1778 from asthma. She was 58 years old. Her daughter, Sarah, later took over the family newspaper business.

Writing

Ann Fisher might have published books even before her most famous work. The title page of her first known book, A New Grammar, says it's "By the author of The child's Christian education, and others." Some people think "Daniel Fisher" was a pen name she used.

When Ann first started publishing, she didn't use her real name. But by 1754, she began signing her books "A. Fisher." She continued to do this for all her future works.

A Practical New Grammar (1750)

A New Grammar: Being the Most Easy Guide to Speaking and Writing the English Language Properly and Correctly was Ann Fisher's first major book. The earliest copy we have is from the second edition, published in 1750. This book became very popular. More than 30 editions were printed by 1800, and it was still being published in the 1800s. From 1759 onwards, it was called A Practical New Grammar....

In her grammar book, Ann Fisher used examples of everyday English to teach grammar rules. She didn't like how grammarians tried to force Latin rules onto the English language. She was also the first person to suggest that the pronoun he could be used to refer to both boys and girls in general. Other writers often copied her ideas. Her work influenced important language reformers like Thomas Sheridan.

The Pleasing Instructor or Entertaining Moralist (1756)

Title page of Ann Fisher's The Pleasing Instructor or Entertaining Moralist 2nd ed. Newcastle upon Tyne: Thomas Slack (1756)

After her grammar book, The Pleasing Instructor was Ann Fisher's second most popular publication. It had 29 editions! This book was a collection of short stories and articles. These came from popular magazines like The Spectator and from famous writers such as Elizabeth Carter.

In her introduction, Ann Fisher argued that girls and women should have better education. However, she also wrote that reading shouldn't replace skills like sewing.

An Accurate New Spelling Dictionary, and Expositor of the English Language (1773)

Ann Fisher was the first woman to create an English dictionary. But it wasn't an easy journey. She planned to publish her dictionary in 1771. However, another publisher, the Dilly Brothers, sued her London publisher. They claimed Ann's dictionary was too similar to one they already published. This was a business move to stop her book.

Because of the lawsuit, Ann Fisher's dictionary was held back at first. But she eventually won the case! In 1773, she re-released the first edition. She called it the "second" edition on the title page. Copies from 1773, 1777 (3rd edition), and 1788 (6th edition) still exist today.

Works

• A Practical New Grammar (1750): more than 40 editions
• The Pleasing Instructor or Entertaining Moralist (1756): 29 editions
• The New English Exercise Book (1770)
• An Accurate New Spelling Dictionary, and Expositor of the English Language (1773)
• The New English Tutor (1774): 13 editions
• The Young Scholar’s Delight (1802)

Etexts

• Fisher, Ann. A Practical New Grammar (Orig. pub. 1750; 18th ed. 1790)
• Fisher, Ann. The Pleasing Instructor (Orig. pub. 1756; 2nd ed. 1756)
• Fisher, Ann. An Accurate New Spelling Dictionary, and Expositor of the English Language (Orig. pub. 1773; 3rd ed. 1777)

See also

• Evening Chronicle
• History of English grammars

External resources

• Gil, María Esther Rodríguez. "Ann Fisher: first female grammarian." Historical Sociolinguistics and Sociohistorical Linguistics 2 (Nov. 2002). Accessed 2023-02-10.

..... Grammarphobia. 7 Oct. 20. Accessed 12. Feb. 2023.

• "Ann Fisher." Orlando: Women’s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present. Cambridge UP. Accessed 2023-02-10.
• Ostade, Ingrid Tieken-Boon van. "Female Grammarians of the Eighteenth Century." Historical Sociolinguistics and Sociohistorical Linguistics 1 (Aug. 2000). Accessed 2023-02-10.
• "Fisher, Ann." The Women's Print History Project, 2019, Person ID 1092. Accessed 2023-02-10.