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The Dictionary People :The unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary
The Dictionary People :The unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary
paperback
Published:
5 September, 2024
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Description
**LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024**
‘Unmissable’ Stephen Fry
'A delight' Katherine Rundell
‘Illuminating’ Susie Dent
'Brilliant' Philippa Perry
'Enthralling' Jeanette Winterson
What do three murderers, Karl Marx's daughter and a vegetarian vicar have in common?
They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary.
The Oxford English Dictionary has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. But the Dictionary didn't just belong to the experts; it relied on contributions from members of the public. By 1928, its 414,825 entries had been crowdsourced from a surprising and diverse group of people, from astronomers to murderers, naturists, pornographers, suffragists and queer couples.
Lexicographer Sarah Ogilvie dives deep into previously untapped archives to tell a people's history of the OED. Here, she reveals, for the first time, the full story of the making of one of the most famous books in the world - and celebrates the extraordinary efforts of the Dictionary People.
'An astonishing book' Sunday Times
'Utterly fascinating, entertaining, astonishing and as clever as a box of monkeys ... I completely love it' Joanna Lumley
‘A fascinating and delightful exploration of the Victorian world … Wonderful’ Nicola Shulman, TLS Podcast
** A Financial Times, TLS and Daunt Books Book of the Year **
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781529922578 |
| ISBN10 | 1529922577 |
| Number Of Pages | 384 |
| Item Weight | 269 g |
| Product Dimensions | 128 x 197 x 24 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | Vintage Publishing |
| Format | paperback |
Media Reviews
Marvellous… An unmissable, wonderful achievement -- Stephen Fry
Proof that not only do our words have extraordinary lives, but so do the people who have documented them for us. A lively, entertaining, and illuminating read. I loved it -- Susie Dent
Brilliant -- Philippa Perry
Utterly fascinating, entertaining, astonishing and as clever as a box of monkeys... I am bowled over by Sarah Ogilvie's book and every home should have a copy. I completely love it * Joanna Lumley *
Astonishing * Kathryn Hughes, The Sunday Times *
Who knew such mysteries lay behind the Oxford English Dictionary? This is a fascinating, unique and original book which uncovers the people behind the words. A jaw-dropping cross-section of society are revealed for the first time in all their complexity * Janina Ramirez, author of Femina *
Fascinating * Observer *
Exquisitely written ... A lively, funny book full of eccentrics * Jamaica Kincaid *
The Dictionary People is a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in dictionaries, social history or just people. Sarah Ogilvie has found a great subject and done it justice * Literary Review *
Enthralling and exuberant, Sarah Ogilvie tells the surprising story of the making of the OED. Philologists, fantasists, crackpots, criminals, career spinsters, suffragists, and Australians: here is a wonder-book for word-lovers * Jeanette Winterson *
GoodReads Reviews
Author's Bio
Sarah Ogilvie teaches at the University of Oxford, and specializes in language, dictionaries, and technology. As a lexicographer she has been an editor at the Oxford English Dictionary and was Chief Editor of Oxford Dictionaries in Australia. As a technologist she has worked in Silicon Valley at Lab 126, Amazon's innovation lab, where she was part of the team that developed the Kindle. She originally studied computer science and mathematics before taking her doctorate in Linguistics at the University of Oxford, and then taught at Cambridge and Stanford.