Difference between revisions of "Word by Word"
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| − | '''''Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries''''' is a book about lexicography by [[Kory Stamper]]. In it, she describes the process lexicographers use to determine if | + | [[Image:Word By Word - Secret Life of Dictionaries, The - Hardcover - USA - 1st Edition.jpg|thumb|256x256px|US hardcover, 1st edition.]] |
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| + | '''''Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries''''' is a book about lexicography by [[Kory Stamper]]. In it, she describes in detail the process lexicographers use to create dictionaries including how to determine if a word is worthy of an entry word, how to classify them, and how to write and change definitions over time. The books also includes a mini biography of Stamper's life and work at Merriam-Webster and some of the more interesting and controversial words she's had to work on. | ||
==Personal== | ==Personal== | ||
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===Ugly=== | ===Ugly=== | ||
* Nothing. | * Nothing. | ||
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| + | ==Media== | ||
| + | <gallery> | ||
| + | Word By Word - Secret Life of Dictionaries, The - Hardcover - USA - 1st Edition.jpg|US hardcover, 1st edition. | ||
| + | Word By Word - Secret Life of Dictionaries, The - Paperback - USA.jpg|US paperback. | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
Revision as of 10:09, 20 May 2020
Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries is a book about lexicography by Kory Stamper. In it, she describes in detail the process lexicographers use to create dictionaries including how to determine if a word is worthy of an entry word, how to classify them, and how to write and change definitions over time. The books also includes a mini biography of Stamper's life and work at Merriam-Webster and some of the more interesting and controversial words she's had to work on.
Personal
Being a fan of words and dictionaries, I started reading this book. After only a short way into it I was already loving it, so I quickly read through the rest of it and found it very enjoyable.
Status
I don't own this book, but I have listened to the audio book.
Review
Good
- The book is enjoyable to read. Stamper has a comfortable writing style and uses a lot of colloquialisms and doesn't shy from colorful curse words when the situation calls for it.
- Stamper uses a wide array of vocabulary throughout the book. Although, as a lexicographer, it would be criminal if she did not.
- Stamper does a good job explaining the basics of the English language including grammar, word usage, and the various categories we use to describe them. She also neatly explains the job of a lexicographer and how it can be unexpectedly difficult.
- Stamper makes a great case for descriptive rather than prescriptive English, explains why respelling words to match their pronunciation is a doomed prospect, and discusses why English is nourished by dialects, especially those viewed as inferior, and points out how the hatred of dialects is often a dog whistle.
- The audio book is read by the author, who sounds not unlike Tracy Grandstaff, the voice actor of Daria from the show Daria.
- After reading this book, I came away with a much better understanding and appreciation of the language, the writing, and the science of trying to understand it.
Bad
- Nothing.
Ugly
- Nothing.
Media
US hardcover, 1st edition.
US paperback.
Links
