About PhilSoc

The Philological Society is the oldest learned society in Great Britain devoted to the scholarly study of language and languages. It is also a registered charity. It was established in its present form in 1842, consisting partly of members of a society of the same name established at the University of London in 1830 'to investigate and promote the study and knowledge of the structure, the affinities, and the history of languages'. As well as encouraging all aspects of the study of language, PhilSoc has a particular interest in historical and comparative linguistics, and maintains its traditional interest in the structure, development, and varieties of Modern English.

PhilSoc pursues its charitable aims in a number of ways:

PhilSoc History

Download 'A brief account of the early history of PhilSoc'.

Nov 2007 marked the 150th anniversary of the reading of one of the most important papers ever to be read to PhilSoc: Richard Chenevix Trench's 'On some deficiencies in our English dictionaries', widely regarded as having created the impetus which ultimately led to the compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary. For more details, download Trench .