About the Society

The Pedants' Society was founded in London in January 1847, in response to a letter to The Times in which the word amount had been applied to a number of persons. The original signatories met above a coffee-house in Holborn. A founding correspondence was drafted. It was posted, with care.

The Society's purpose, as set down in its first bylaws, is "to attend, with seriousness, to such matters of language as escape the ordinary attention of the educated public, and to record the same for the benefit of those coming after." This purpose has not been amended.

The Schisms

The Society has divided publicly twice — in 1862, on the matter of the serial comma, and in 1924, on a question concerning the position of the apostrophe in the title of the Society itself. Both schisms are recorded in the Register, and the parties to each remain noted there.

The Register

A Fellow's name appears in the Register on admission and remains there in perpetuity, whether the Fellow's status is current, resigned, or struck off. The Society does not edit the Register for tact.

Correspondence

All correspondence with the Society should be addressed to the Secretary at secretary@pedants-society.com. The Society will respond, in time, to letters that observe the conventions of correspondence.