The last half-century has seen a large number of nationally-based or language-specific lexicographical projects. This volume is the fruit of comparative discussions on the majority of those projects which centre on medieval Germanic languages. The first half of the volume uses a standardized format to present the history, progress, impact of the projects and the electronic specifications of the databases. The second half comprises seven studies on particular methodological problems or applications of work on these dictionaries. The projects surveyed include: (Dutch) the Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, the CD-ROM Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, and the Historisch Woordenboek der Nederlandse Rechtstaal, 14de-18de eeuw; (English) A Thesaurus of Old English, A Thesaurus of Middle English, the Historical Thesaurus of Middle English, the Dictionary of Old English and the Middle English Dictionary; (German) the Mittelhochdeutsches Worterbuch; (Norse) Ordbog over det norrane prosasprog, the Gammelnorsk ordboksverk and the Dictionary of the Written Language in Norway, 1350-1550'.