Question

read the excerpt from samuel johnsons preface to a dictionary of the english language
from the authours which rose in the time of elizabeth, a speech might be formed adequate to all the purposes of use and elegance. if the language of theology were extracted from hooker and the translation of the bible, the terms of natural knowledge from bacon, the phrases of policy, war, and navigation from raleigh, the dialect of poetry and fiction from spenser and sidney, and the diction of common life from shakespeare, few ideas would be lost to mankind, for want of english words, in which they might be expressed.
it is not sufficient that a word is found, unless it be so combined as that its meaning is apparently determined by the tract and tenour of the sentence. such passages i have therefore chosen.
how is johnsons approach innovative?
he defines literary and poetic terms.
he studies the diction of everyday speech.
he relies on the credibility of established authors.
he refuses to include biblical terminology.

Explanation:

Johnson's approach is innovative because he studies the diction of everyday speech. In the excerpt, he mentions extracting language from various sources including the language of common life from Shakespeare. This shows an interest in how language is used in daily communication, which was a new and innovative way of approaching dictionary - making compared to just relying on literary or high - brow language.

Answer:

He studies the diction of everyday speech.