Susan Margaret Butler (born 1948) is an Australian

lexicographer Lexicography is the study of lexicons and the art of compiling dictionaries. It is divided into two separate academic disciplines: * Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionary, dictionaries. * The ...

, who was the editor and publisher of the ''

Macquarie Dictionary The ''Macquarie Dictionary'' () is a dictionary of Australian English. It is considered by many to be the standard reference on Australian English. It also pays considerable attention to New Zealand English. Originally it was a publishing proje ...

'' of

Australian English Australian English (AusE, AusEng, AuE, AuEng, en-AU) is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to Australia. It is the country's common language and ''de facto'' national language. While Australia has no of ...

from its first edition in 1981 until its seventh in 2017, and her retirement in 2018. Butler intended to become a composer, and majored in Latin and Greek at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

before working in a factory. In 1970, she was employed by Jacaranda Press as a research assistant on a proposed dictionary of Australian English. Over the next ten years, Butler became the dictionary's editor, and published its first edition in 1981. In addition to the Macquarie, Butler has written several lexicographical books including ''The Dinkum Dictionary: The Origins of Australian Words'' and ''The Aitch Factor: Adventures in Australian English''. In 2018, Butler was made an

Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

in the

Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the King's Official Birthday, reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm by granting various individuals appointment into Order (honour), national or Dynastic order of knighthood, dy ...

for "distinguished service to the community as a lexicographer and author, as a facilitator of academic discourse on Australian English language, and to commercial publishing".

References

1948 births Living people Australian book editors Australian lexicographers University of Sydney alumni Officers of the Order of Australia {{Australia-writer-stub