The Long History of the «Tesoro de las dos lenguas española y francesa» of César Oudin (ed. princeps: 1607): Between Authority and Innovation

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to examine the long history of the Tesoro de las dos lenguas española y francesa by César Oudin, eight editions of which were published between 1607 and 1675. Our research shows that the French hispanist used a considerable number of lexicographical sources, which were earlier authoritative works of reference. These were the dictionaries by Nebrija, Cristóbal de las Casas, Heinrich Hornkens and Jean Palet. However, Oudin enriched these sources to such a point that his Tesoro… became an innovative piece of work which, in its turn, would later become a model for a great many lexicographers such as Lorenzo Franciosini, César-Joachim Trognesius, Arnaldo De la Porte, Nicolas Mez de Braidenbach and Francisco Sobrino. This is the reason why César Oudin’s dictionary can be definitly said to pertain to the authority of tradition while also relating to the power of innovation.