author
James Champlin Fernald
1838–1918
Best known for making the English language easier to navigate, this 19th-century writer moved from the pulpit to the reference shelf. His books on synonyms, antonyms, and usage helped generations of readers and students choose words with more care and confidence.
1 Audiobook
English Synonyms and Antonyms With Notes on the Correct Use of Prepositions
by James Champlin Fernald
About the author
Born in Portland, Maine, in 1838, James Champlin Fernald was an American clergyman, editor, and language writer who later became widely known for his work on English usage. He studied at Harvard, where he won a Bowdoin Prize, and then at the Newton Theological Institution before beginning his career in the Baptist ministry.
Fernald served in pastorates and worked as a teacher and preacher before turning more fully toward writing and editorial work. He became especially associated with reference books and language guides, building a reputation as an authority on English words and their shades of meaning.
He is remembered above all for practical works such as English Synonyms and Antonyms and for his editorial work on dictionaries published by Funk & Wagnalls. Fernald died in 1918, but his books continued to circulate long afterward, keeping his clear, useful approach to language in print for new readers.