Uncyclopedia:Featured articles/February 11

The List of one letter words starting with A is a list of one letter words starting with A. First compiled by Samuel L. Johnson in 1756 and published on February 14, 1759, it was intended as the first part of a follow-up to his better known Dictionary, but the "List of one letter words starting with A" was the only part published before Johnson's death in 1784. It is considered one of the classic texts of the English language. Remarkably, Johnson managed to complete this list singlehandedly, with only clerical assistance to help with his research into opium dens and households of negotiable affection.

There had been previous lists of one letter words starting with A written in Latin, French, Ebonics and COBOL prior to Johnson. While evidence exists that "Ae Liste of Words of Onne Letter Begynning With A" had been written in 1066 by Harold II, it is considered neither as comprehensive nor definitive as Johnson's list, and rather one-eyed in its presentation. Other attempts to compile a list of one letter words starting with A have been noted throughout history, many of them plagued with sabotage, theft, intense rivalry between co-authors, and in one severe case the death of all involved and half the population of Scotland. Noah Webster's "An American list of one letter words starting with A" was published several years later, but is considered derivative at best. (Full article...)