Richard BF

Since 1981, the Macquarie Dictionary has been the definitive dictionary of Australia English. Since early 2003, they no longer provide a free web based interface, meaning that everyone I know who used this great Australian dictionary, now uses the American English based www.dictionary.com. Good to see the Macquarie folks not just throwing away their support of everyday Australian English in favour of purely academic pursuits, which is of course their right, but by defaulting on a free public service, they are actively forcing the rapid decline, and perhaps ultimate death, of Australian English. It takes smart academics indeed, to do themselves out of jobs.