The Diccionario de uso del español, first released between 1966 and 1967, emerged from over fifteen years of meticulous, solitary labor. María Moliner, a trained librarian and archivist, spent her early mornings compiling entries by observing street conversations and reading newspapers to create a practical reference guide for native speakers of the Spanish language.
Academic Foundation and Career
Born in Paniza in 1900, Moliner pursued her early studies at the Instituto Cardenal Cisneros and the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. She earned a degree in History from the University of Zaragoza in 1921. Her professional life focused on library and archival science, including membership in the Cuerpo Facultativo de Archiveros, Bibliotecarios y Arqueólogos. From 1946 until her 1970 retirement, she managed the library at the Superior Technical School of Industrial Engineers in Madrid, a facility associated with the Biblioteca de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
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Take the IQ test →Compiling a Lexical Legacy
The conceptual catalyst for her dictionary was the 1948 Learner's Dictionary of Current English by A.S. Hornby, which she obtained in 1952. Dissatisfied with the official dictionary produced by the Real Academia Española, Moliner sought to create a more functional resource. She worked in relative isolation, maintaining a rigid schedule that balanced her library duties with exhaustive indexing. In 1955, she secured a contract with the publisher Editorial Gredos following encouragement from Dámaso Alonso.
Interactions with the Real Academia Española
Despite the critical success of her work, Moliner faced challenges regarding institutional recognition. She was nominated for membership in the Real Academia Española in 1972, but the body elected Emilio Alarcos Llorach instead. A subsequent nomination in 1979 saw Carmen Conde chosen. While the Academy awarded her the Lorenzo Nieto López prize in 1973, she remained excluded from official fellowship during her lifetime, a situation that drew public commentary from contemporaries like L. Permanyer.
Fast facts
- Born: 1900, Paniza, Spain
- Died: 1981, Madrid, Spain
- Education: University of Zaragoza
- Primary Field: Lexicography
- Notable Work: Diccionario de uso del español
- Professional Membership: Cuerpo Facultativo de Archiveros, Bibliotecarios y Arqueólogos
Questions readers ask
What inspired María Moliner to write her dictionary?
She was inspired by the Learner's Dictionary of Current English by A.S. Hornby, which she found more useful than the official Spanish dictionary.
Did María Moliner ever join the Real Academia Española?
No, despite being nominated in 1972 and 1979, she was never elected as a member of the Academy.
Achievements
- Notable work: Diccionario de uso del español
