Word by Word by Kory Stamper
Do you have strong feelings about the word irregardless? Have you ever tried to define the word is? Brimming with intelligence and personality, this vastly entertaining account of how dictionaries are made is a must-read for word mavens. Many of us take dictionaries for granted, and few may realize that the process of writing dictionaries is, in fact, as lively and dynamic as language itself. With sharp wit and irreverence, Kory Stamper cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it, to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language. She explains why small words are the most difficult to define, how it can take nine months to define a single word, and how our biases about language and pronunciation can have tremendous social influence. And along the way, she reveals little-known surprises--for example, the fact that OMG was first used in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917. Word by Word brings to life the hallowed halls (and highly idiosyncratic cubicles) of Merriam-Webster, a startlingly rich world inhabited by quirky and erudite individuals who quietly shape the way we communicate. Certain to be a delight for all lovers of words, Stamper's debut will make you laugh as much as it makes you appreciate the wonderful complexities and eccentricities of the English language.Kory Stamper is a lexicographer who spent nearly two decades at Merriam-Webster producing dictionaries. Her work has featured in publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and The Washington Post, and she maintains a language and lexicography blog at www.korystamper.com.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781101870945 |
| ISBN 10 | 110187094X |
| Title | Word by Word |
| Author | Kory Stamper |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Random House USA Inc |
| Year published | 2017-03-14 |
| Number of pages | 320 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |