Dissertation on the English Language was a book written by American lexicographer Noah Webster

Noah Webster

Noah Webster was an American educator, lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author...

 in 1789. The book followed Webster's 1783 work Spelling Book and aimed to differentiate American English

American English

American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....

 from British English

British English

British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...

. In the book, Webster commented that "our honor requires us to have a system of our own, in language as well as government. Great Britain ... should no longer be our standard; for the taste of her writers is already corrupted, and her language on the decline." This dissertation was dedicated to Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...

.