This paper focuses on ‘English’ dictionaries and their development in second language learning contexts, taking the perspective that ‘standards’ are usually codified in reference grammars, pronouncing dictionaries and word dictionaries. It begins with a presentation of contemporary discussions of ‘English’ and ‘Englishes’ in Asia, a phenomenon that has come about through the global spread of what is now a truly universal language. With the second diaspora of English (Kachru, 1992), many of the educational institutions in Asia are beginning to feel the tension between rigid and loose canons, and between traditional and emerging norms of language usage. In English as an additional language learning communities, lexical innovation is evident in new canons, and in primary sources of data such as newspapers. How do dictionaries handle such innovations, and become themselves a secondary source? The question may not be an easy one to answer but the discussion leading to it may herald a new dawn in dictionary‐making in Asia.