An encyclopedia contains information of all kinds; Can be found data historical events, definitions of terms, information related to the functioning of things, human anatomy, biology, science and medicine, among others.
In general terms, an encyclopedia is a compendium of general knowledge and may consist of one volume or several.
Although encyclopedias are grouped under the same category as dictionaries, they are much more extensive because they can be organized differently and contain more information than dictionaries.
In the past, encyclopedias were compiled into multiple volumes. But today, the publication of an encyclopedia can be done digitally, grouping all of its content into a disk or website where it can be located quickly and accurately. In this way, information can be constantly updated.
With the passage of time, multiple encyclopedias have been developed on a wide variety of topics. In this way, there are books of this type specialized in medical, botanical, related to art, astronomy, bioesthetics and even economics and religion.
The most important encyclopedia of our time is the Encyclopedia Britannica . It contains information on biology, arts, culture, gastronomy, geography, health, medicine, history, literature, languages, music, philosophy, religion, popular culture, science, sociology, sports, recreation, technology and miscellaneous.
Format and Purpose
Many people confuse an encyclopedia with a dictionary, although they are essentially different publications. A dictionary contains information related to definitions of words, occasionally accompanied by illustrations to give readers the meaning of individual terms or phrases.
On the other hand, an encyclopedia explores topics in greater depth and regularly includes illustrations, maps and photographs.
The information contained in an encyclopedia can be organized alphabetically (as in a dictionary) or grouped by categories or cross references, always seeking to facilitate their reading.
Readers can find a wide variety of topics in the volumes of an encyclopedia, which makes them an excellent query tool. Historical events such as battles or wars are illustrated in an encyclopedia, including the dates on which they occurred.
In the same way, you can find scientific information related to data from research, scientific theories proposed throughout history, biographies of important scientists and illustrations of each of the topics discussed.
The encyclopedia is not alien to popular culture, for this reason includes short biographies, names of illustrious characters and information about celebrities. However, as time passes, editors make revisions to the content and update it, so that it is always relevant and complete.
History of the encyclopaedia
Pliny the Elder, with the help of his nephew, wrote the first encyclopedia documented in the first century BC in Italy. Pliny was a scientist, naturalist and writer who focused his efforts on writing what would eventually be a collection of 37 volumes containing information on a wide range of topics.
Plinio's encyclopaedia was named"Naturalis Historia"and had information related to anthropology, sociology, psychology, agriculture and even pharmacology.
This format of encyclopedia was valid for a time until with the appearance of Christianity was renewed and a religious touch was conferred. By the year 560 AD, the first Christian encyclopedia was published and shortly thereafter the first Muslim encyclopedia appeared.
One of the most extensive encyclopedias created by man was written between 1403 and 1408 in China, and was known as the Yongle Encyclopedia . It consisted of 11,000 volumes written by hand. Unfortunately, most of these volumes have disappeared and less than 400 volumes are currently preserved.
The information contained in Yongle's encyclopedia was varied and dealt with subjects related to agriculture, art, astronomy, theater, geology, history, literature, medicine, natural sciences, religion and others.
The encyclopedia as we know it today was written during the Renaissance in 1559 and was called the"Encyclopaedia"or"Knowledge of the Disciplines of the World", promoted by the Encyclopedism In the Enlightenment.
This model is the one that has been used during the last 500 years and was possible thanks to the introduction of the painting in the volumes compiled that allowed the specific illustration of each subject.
The word encyclopedia comes from the Greek word enkyklia paideia, which means"general knowledge." In this way, an encyclopaedia will always be designed to contain general information on all topics, keeping it updated permanently.
Modern Formats
In the twentieth century, the Britannica encyclopedia became the most recognized and important collection of encyclopedic information in the West.
Similarly, encyclopedias of specific topics also became popular, dealing with topics ranging from economics, biostatics or Judaism. However, multiple economic copies and simpler were also produced and marketed during this time.
In the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, many publishers began publishing encyclopedias in digital media, such as CD's or DVD's. Even today, many encyclopedias can be found completely on the internet without necessarily having a printed version of its content.
One of the main advantages of having online encyclopedias is that they can be edited frequently in order to stay updated. Traditionally a single writer was in charge of the writing of an encyclopedia, and was supported by colleagues in the validation of the content.
However, today the information contained in an encyclopedia is shaped by teams of anonymous writers who can compile the information without needing to find it in one place. This is how formats like Wikipedia are viable and can be written in any language.
Regardless of the type of publication, the information compiled in an encyclopedia is divided into articles or entries, organized in such a way that it is coherent and logical to read. This information always focuses on the facts related to each topic, beyond simple linguistic considerations.
References
- Bocco, D. (March 14, 2017). Wise Geek . Obtained from What is an Encyclopedia?: wisegeek.org
- Brown, T. (2017). The Pen and Pad . Obtained from Uses of an Encyclopedia: penandthepad.com
- Inc, T.G. (2004). com . Obtained from Encyclopédie: encyclopedia.com
- (August 24, 2011). Difference Between . From Difference Between Encyclopedia and Dictionary: differencebetween.com
- Preece, W.E., & Collison, R.L. (May 1, 2015). Encyclopaedia Britannica . Obtained from Encyclopaedia: britannica.com
- Surhone, L. M., Timpledon, M. T., & Marseken, S. F. (2010). Yongle Encyclopedia. VDM Publishing.