Kory Stamper

A wonderful look into the world of lexicography, or crafting and compiling the words and definitions that comprise a dictionary (and other relevant features such as first usage origin, pronunciations, etc.) Stamper describes her job as constant reading, searching for possible new senses or examples of existing ones as citations, and that sounds like a dream job (teasing out the finer points of the verb forms of take: less so).

I've been prescriptivist in the past, but I'm coming round to the descriptive position- that dictionaries, etc. are here to log usage of a living language, not necessarily what the "right" version is (which is why irregardless, ain't, and other words have a place in the dictionary- because people use them).… (més)

Loved this book. In the age of Google, we take our good old dictionary for granted. And Lexicographer's job is a thankless one. We all assume language is static. But we miss a point, if language is static then what calls for a newer editions/revision of a dictionary? This book answers the point with some interesting examples. If one assumes that job of Lexicographer's job is a glamourous one and they go about their work in idyllic setup and with dreamy eyes... We can't be more wrong. Best book I read this year. I have read the Kindle edition but have ordered the paperback. This will stay on my reading shelf as an ode to the dictionary and as a tribute to lexicographers.… (més)