Edward Ellis Morris

author

Edward Ellis Morris

1843–1901

A scholar, teacher, and lively observer of language, he helped shape how Australian English was recorded and understood. His work blends literary learning with a sharp ear for the words people actually used.

1 Audiobook

Austral English : A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia

Austral English : A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia

by Edward Ellis Morris

About the author

Born in Madras on December 25, 1843, he was educated in England and built his early career as a teacher and schoolmaster. He later moved to Australia, where he became a well-known educationist and served at the University of Melbourne.

He wrote on history and literature, but he is especially remembered for Austral English (1898), an early and influential dictionary of Australasian words and usages. That book helped document how English was changing in Australia and New Zealand, giving lasting value to expressions that might otherwise have been overlooked.

Alongside his scholarly work, he edited major publications and contributed widely to literary and educational life in colonial Australia. He died in England on January 1, 1902, leaving behind a reputation as both a thoughtful academic and a careful recorder of everyday language.