Book & podcast collection

Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries

byKory Stamper

With wit and irreverence, lexicographer Kory Stamper cracks open the obsessive world of dictionary writing, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it to the knotty questions of ever-changing word usage. The argument in Word by Word develops through research, historical context, and specific examples, attending to both broad patterns and the revealing details that resist them. That perspective connects the secret life of dictionaries to larger questions in reference, without losing sight of the people living through the consequences.

Publisher

Random House Publishing Group

Publication date

2018

Format

Print edition

Pages

336

ISBN

9781101970263