Podcast appearances and mentions of Kory Stamper

Who decides which words make it into dictionaries and how to define them in non-biased ways? Professor Emeritus Marshall Cook looks behind the scenes at lexicographers such as Kory Stamper (author of Word by Word), and Derrick Allen (graduate of the UW Odyssey Project www.odyssey.wisc.edu) adds readings of “I Love Webster’s” by Tosumba Welch and […]

907. The fabulous Kory Stamper, author of "Word by Word," joins me this week to talk about words of the year: how they get chosen, what makes each one different, and what people yearn for in their words of the year.| Transcript:  https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/words-or-the-year/transcriptMy guest is Kory Stamper, author of "Word by Word, the Secret Life of Dictionaries."| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.| Peeve Wars card game. | Grammar Girl books. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) or https://sayhi.chat/grammargirl| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio engineer: Nathan SemesEditor: Adam CecilAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsIntern: Kamryn Lacy| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

We're joined by Kory Stamper, professional lexicographer and author of the book Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, who chose a modern retelling of Beowulf for us to read. We consider how the epic poem translates to the contemporary American suburbs, and also why Beowulf has been so enduring in the first place. We also talk to Kory about her former job at Merriam-Webster's dictionary, the politics of language, and why we're right to roll our eyes at people who correct our grammar. You can learn more about Kory's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/530504/word-by-word-by-kory-stamper/ You can find Kory on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/korystamper If you like our podcast, and would like to get access to two bonus episodes a month--including our ongoing hunt for the worst book of all time--please consider joining our Patreon, for just $5/month: https://www.patreon.com/BookFight  

The fifth episode of The Coaching Agile Teams Mini-Series features special guest Kory Stamper. The conversation with Lyssa Adkins, Kory Stamper and Leslie Morse twists and turns through a variety of topics all inspired by the ah-ha moment Lyssa had when listening to Kory’s Women in Agile 2020 keynote. It caused her to take a step back and really look at the words she used in the “Coaching Agile Teams” book. Lyssa had already taken note of how militaristic language showed up in her 2010 descriptions of what it took to successfully deliver value, and Kory’s session opened her eyes to an entirely new set of considerations. Spoiler alert, nothing really changed in the book.  Enjoy the dance between moments of lightness and serious inquiry within this episode. You’ll learn more about parts of speech, be exposed to new vocabulary, and be challenged to get curious about how you use language.   About the Featured Guest Kory Stamper is a Philadelphia based Lexicographer, Author, Speaker, and Speechwriter. She was the keynote for the 2020 annual Women In Agile conference, has been a prior guest on the Women in Agile podcast series, and is globally recognized as an expert on language and the way it evolves.  Follow Kory on LinkedIn Follow Kory on Twitter @KoryStamper Follow Kory on Instagram @harmless_drudge Reference(s) “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries” by Kory Stamper Watch Kory’s Keynote from the 2020 Women In Agile Conference (begins at 22:30) Listen to Kory on the Women in Agile Podcast Series: Why Changing Language is an Agile Process  You can learn more about this series of episodes by visiting www.womeninagile.org/cat.  The Women in Agile community champions inclusion and diversity of thought, regardless of gender, and this podcast is a platform to share new voices and stories with the Agile community and the business world, because we believe that everyone is better off when more, diverse ideas are shared. Podcast Library: www.womeninagile.org/podcast Women in Agile Org Website: www.womeninagile.org  Connect with us on social media! LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/womeninagile/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninagile/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/womeninagileorg    Please take a moment to rate and review the Women in Agile podcast on your favorite podcasting platform. This is the best way to help us amplify the voices and wisdom of the talent women and allies in our community! Be sure to take a screenshot of your rating and review and post it on social media with the hashtag #womeninagile. This will get you entered to a monthly drawing for a goodie bag of Women In Agile Org swag!

There's a new show on Netflix, and it's The History of Swearing, featuring Nicolas Cage. Backing him up is a team of researchers, comedians — and one of our favourite lexicographers, Kory Stamper. Kory tells us all about the show on this episode of Because Language.

Congressman McGovern on Impeachment II and on why he’s not sure if he can trust his colleagues across the aisle. The History of Swear Words. It’s a new Netflix series and we talk with one of it’s talking heads lexicographer Kory Stamper. I’ll take you driving with my newly permitted son, I’ll take you to Beer Heaven with Beer Mike and I’ll take you to the Library with the digital explosion of library checkouts thanks to the Pane.

Word up! Words have meaning, and behind every great definition is a pale, emaciated lexicographer melting away under the fire of language. What does "take" mean in "to take a nap," and how is that "take" different from "take" in "taken aback" or "take a meeting" or "take a poop." With sharp wit and a terrifying large vocabulary, one writer busts wide open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography. The seemingly dullest profession in the world is painted like a new branch of the Marvel universe thanks to her keen knack for honest storytelling and her passion for logophilia. In the end, three things are clear: our language is constantly changing, the people who define it are insane, and no matter how hallowed you consider its page, the dictionary is not a holy book. The lexicographer: Kory Stamper. The book: Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper. . .Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

A special little bonus episode for you about a girl and her dictionary.(Note: I refer to the Kory Stamper episode as Episode 47 when it was actually Episode 48. Whoops.)EPISODE 48: INTRODUCTORY LEXICOGRAPHY WITH KORY STAMPERDordThe Dog Eared BookSubscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastGoogle PlayRSSSupportSupport Me on Ko-fi

Kory Stamper is an author and lexicographer who has been writing on language and change for over 15 years. She also delivered a timely and fascinating keynote at the Women in Agile 2020 online conference.What might seem like an insignificant and innocuous word to one person can be triggering and offensive to another. Stamper discusses the common greeting “hey guys” and its significance to women in the workplace, as well as a recent petition to change “ScrumMaster” to another term not associated with a historical reference to the master-slave dynamic. She emphasizes the need for agility in our interactions and the process of changing these terms and language at large. “The process of collaboration is the thing that will change language permanently and will make language change meaningful to people.” Leslie Morse hosts. The Women in Agile community champions inclusion and diversity of thought, regardless of gender, and this podcast is a platform to share new voices and stories with the Agile community and the business world, because we believe that everyone is better off when more, diverse ideas are shared. Podcast Library: www.solutionsiq.com/womeninagileWomen in Agile website: https://womeninagile.org/ Connect with us on social media!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninagile/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womeninagile/Twitter: https://twitter.com/womeninagileorg

We asked you, the ELT family, to share your favorite underutilized words -- words that you love and want other listeners to love too. And you delivered. Now, with your help, we want to get one of those words into the dictionary. A professional word nerd tells us which of your submissions have the best chance of making it into the big book. Guest: former Merriam-Webster Dictionary editor Kory Stamper. Thanks to everyone who called in with a word.

Today’s episode focuses on how to raise your rates. Raising your rates is not about if you should raise them, but when and how. On episode 28 of Deliberate Freelancer, my guest Pam Capalad talked about the need to take the emotion out of raising your rates. I thought that was so smart—and easier said than done. Pam recognized that a lot of issues tend to pop up when we talk about raising our rates: imposter syndrome, fear of rejection, wanting to be liked. All of that is emotion. I wish I could help you instantly channel the confidence of a successful businessman who was born into privilege and never questions how much he charges his customers. But I can’t, so let’s talk about how to raise rates for your freelance business. Start by eliminating your hourly rate. Start charging by the project. If you work fast, you are penalized for charging an hourly rate. And, an hourly rate doesn’t recognize the value you’re bringing to a project. Instead, create a secret hourly rate. Aim to earn way more than your secret hourly rate. This is where project rates shine. Don’t underestimate that nagging, resentful, frustrated feeling. Don’t agree to rates that you don’t feel good about! Take a beat every time you come up with a rate—right before you send the proposal off—and gauge your feelings on it. This is where it’s OK for emotion to come into play. And if the potential client comes back to your proposal with a counter-offer, take another pause and make sure you are comfortable with the lower rate they are suggesting. All clients are not created equal. One mistake a lot of freelancers make in the beginning is having one rate for everyone. Don’t. You may have rates that are higher for corporations that have more money than what you charge a small nonprofit in your community. You may charge more for more technical projects or projects that are a pain in the butt or have challenging clients. There are a million reasons you might charge differently. Look at each client and each project on a case-by-case basis. Raise your rates for all new clients. Create project rates based on your new secret hourly rate for all new clients. Raise your rates for existing clients. Start by making a list of all your clients and how much you charge them. Go down the list—treating each client differently—and ask yourself how much you could raise the rate. Once you decide on the new rates, you need to email your clients and inform them of the new rates. Don’t ASK them if the new rate is OK. TELL them what your new rate is. Track your time on specific projects. Time-tracking specific types of projects you do often will give you a sense of how much time certain types of projects will take you. You might be surprised to learn you are underestimating or overestimating how long a project takes. Be sure to include your research, all that emailing back and forth, any phone conversations. It all adds up.   Biz Bite: Stop talking. The Bookshelf: “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries” by Kory Stamper   Resources: Episode #28 of Deliberate Freelancer: Take Charge of Your Finances, with Pamela Capalad Episode #22 of Deliberate Freelancer: How to Create a Better Work-Life Balance, with Laura Poole Episode #28 of Deliberate Freelancer: Spotting Red Flags and Scope Creep Toggl time-tracking app

Our live at the library show November 18, 2019. With guests Jennifer King, Chris Skaugset, and Austin Brigden. Where we talked about:  Paper Son by Julie Leung; Harold & Hog Pretend for Real! by Dan Santat; Beavers (Superpower Field Guide) by Rachel Poliquin; Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk; Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks; Skyward by Brandon Sanderson; Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert; America Was Hard to Find by Kathleen Alcott; The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld; Everything Under by Daisy Johnson; The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal; Love and Ruin by Paula McLain; There, There by Tommy Orange; The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick; The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle; Useful Phrases for Immigrants by May-Lee Chai;Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado; My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil FerrisCork Dork by Bianca Bosker; Acid for the Children by Flea; Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe; Heavy: an American memoir by Kiese Laymon; Radical Candor by Kim Malone Scott; Calypso by David Sedaris; Word by Word: the secret life of dictionaries by Kory Stamper; Educated by Tara Westover;   and more!  

Combining a love of engineering with a love of words, Jenny List (@Jenny_Alto) is a contributing editor at Hackaday (@Hackaday). Jenny’s writing at Hackaday including Debunking the Drone Versus Plane Hysteria and Ooops, Did We Just Close An Airport Over a UFO Sighting? Previously Jenny worked for Oxford English Press working on computational linguistics software. While there she wrote post about the word “hacker”. Elecia has been secretly dreaming of being a lexicographer since reading Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper.

Octopis, grocers, garages, & .GIFs, with Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries author Kory Stamper.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries author Kory Stamper makes the case against clinging to language pet peeves. Pronouncing "nuclear", phonemic guides, dialects vs. accents, & defending "irregardless".Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 55 of You, Me, Empathy, it’s Part 1 of the You, Me, Empathy 1-Year Anniversary celebration with Rukmini Poddar, Kory Stamper, and Laura Donaldson! We explore the 100 Days of Enneagram, the language of color, cozy jam jams, and more! Thanks for listening, and thanks for empathizing with us! Follow You, Me, Empathy on Instagram and Twitter. Support the show on Patreon. Subscribe, rate and review on Google and iTunes. Get yourself an adorable You, Me, Empathy t-shirt!  

Watch the video here. A lexicographer for the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Kory Stamper discusses the subtleties of the English language in the venerable volume's popular ''Ask the Editor'' video series. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and The Guardian, among other periodicals. A medievalist by training, Stamper knows a number of dead languages, has lectured on lexicography around the world, and was notably responsible for explaining Merriam-Webster's recent addition of the term ''F-Bomb'' to the dictionary. In Word by Word, she opens up the complicated, obsessive, and fun world of dictionaries and the quirky people who shape the way we communicate. (recorded 3/27/2017)

Lexicographer Kory Stamper and playwright Lucas Hnath join interviewers Emily Morris and Andrew Borba in this packed episode featuring conversations with two presenters who helped shape the opening week of the 2018 Chautauqua Institution season, themed "The Life of the Written Word." For nearly two decades at Merriam-Webster, Kory Stamper was responsible for altering definitions of old words and creating definitions for new ones. Her book, Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, 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. In this converation, Kory and Emily discuss her book, how words find their way into the dictionary, and the hot-button issues you may be surprised to learn that lexicographers face. Follow her on Twitter at @KoryStamper, and read The Chautauquan Daily's recap of her Amphitheater lecture here: http://chqdaily.com…. Lucas Hnath is the author of more than a dozen plays, including The Christians and Red Speedo. He made his Broadway debut in 2017 with A Doll’s House, Part 2, his brilliant interpretation of what happens to Nora after the shocking ending of the original play by Ibsen. When he isn’t writing award-winning plays, he serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Dramatic Writing at his alma mater, NYU. Listen on (conversation begins at 30:32) as Andrew and Lucas discuss the playwright's process, his inspirations, and why he doesn't make a point to see his plays performed. Read The Chautauquan Daily's recap of Lucas' Amphitheater conversation here: http://chqdaily.com… Emily Morris is Chautauqua's vice president of marketing and communications and chief brand officer. Andrew Borba is Chautauqua Theater Company's artistic director.

On Episode 20 of You, Me, Empathy, I explore the Language of Mental Health with lexicographer Kory Stamper. We talk about the history of mental health language, why audience and intent matter, and ways we can be more inclusive with our words. Thanks for listening, and thanks for empathizing with us! Support You, Me, Empathy on Patreon. Leave You, Me, Empathy a review on Apple Podcasts. Follow You, Me, Empathy on Instagram and Twitter!  

Matt DeCample has conversations with three authors featured at the 2018 Arkansas Literary Festival: Carmen Boullosa, author of seven volumes of poetry, two books of essays, ten plays, and eighteen novels, including "La otra mano de Lepanto" which has been deemed among the top works of literature written in Spanish in the last twenty-five years; Kory Stamper, a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and author of "Word by Word"; and David Giffels, author of "Furnishing Eternity: A Father, a Son, a Coffin, and a Measure of Life", a memoir about the experience of building a coffin with his dying father.

Do you have strong feelings about the word “irregardless”? Have you ever tried to define the word “is”? 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. Kory Stamper took our stage to crack open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography—the practice of making dictionaries—in her book Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries. Stamper revealed the agonizing decisions about which words to define and how to do it, to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language. She outlined the intricacies of the process, such as 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. In the process she reveals little-known surprises—for example, the fact that “OMG” was first used in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917. Join Stamper for a delve into the complexities and eccentricities of the English language, and the startlingly rich world of quirky and erudite individuals who quietly shape the way we communicate. Kory Stamper is a lexicographer (that is, a writer and editor of dictionaries) who spent almost two decades working at Merriam-Webster. She has written and appeared in the “Ask the Editor” video series at Merriam-Webster, and has traveled around the world giving talks and lectures on language and lexicography. Her writing has appeared in a number of publications, including The Washington Post, The Guardian and The New York Times and presents her own writing on her blog at harmlessdrudgery.com. Recorded live at Seattle University by Town Hall Seattle on Sunday, March 25, 2018. 

This episode is brought to you by Teri, AKA Jessy’s mom, who was curious about where the word pussy came from. Well, Teri, we’re gonna tell ya. 0:38 Jessy explains how she victim shamed a giraffe 2:48 You might have noticed that we changed our release day – find out why! 5:00 What are the origins of the word pussy, you ask? 7:22 Pusillanimous, what?! For more on the pussy/pusillanimous connection, check out this 8-pronged take down by the Tumblr user nerdloveandlolz: http://anthrocentric.tumblr.com/post/81621685922/pussy-is-not-short-for-pusillanimous 11:40 Read the full Huffington Post interview with Merriam-Webster’s Kory Stamper: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/where-does-pussy-come-from_us_57fc0968e4b0b6a43034e7ac 18:30 We figured out what ‘Grose’ refers to! In 1785 a man by the name of Francis Grose put out the first edition of the “Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.” Grose was the first person to collect slang words from all over the world while not limiting himself to the words used by criminals. Grose and his assistant Tom Cocking (hahaha) would walk around London at night and collect slang words that they would later compile into a book. Throughout the 19th century the Vulgar Tongue was recognized as the English slang dictionary and it strongly impacted all future dictionaries of its kind. So, Grose and Cocking, partners in slang. 26:00 Need to know more words for pussy? We got you covered. It’s a pussy war up in here! Want to ask a question?? Email us at welcometomyvagina@gmail.com and ask away! We’ll do some research and talk about your question in one of our future episodes. Also find us on Instagram at welcometomyvagina and Twitter @welcometomyvag. Subscribe to Jessy’s videos on her Welcome To My Vagina YouTube channel and check out the website, welcometomyvagina.com. Read Rebekah’s blog at franklyrebekah.com.

It takes a special kind of person to be a dictionary editor. You need an instinctive understanding of language, a sharp, ever-listening ear, and the ability to laugh off death threats (really). In this very special episode, Merriam-Webster's Kory Stamper and Macquarie Dictionary's Alison Moore discuss both the drudgery and the delights of their work, as we journey into the secret heart of the dictionary editor.    Kory Stamper's book is Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries.   Read more about Word for Word at macquariedictionary.com.au/podcast

Kory Stamper has the best job title of any guest in the history of The Other 51. She's a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster. She writes the dictionary. No, the dictionary doesn't just appear, handed down by the grammar gods. It's written by people. People like Kory. Kory talks what it's like to wield the power to decide what part of speech a word is. She describes her job, and she and Brian talk about how people who write the dictionary are much more open about language and usage then you might assume. There's a difference between language and writing, and Kory describes that. Kory talks about her book Word by Word and how writing the dictionary has made her more attuned to the rhythm of her language and her writing. Kory also gives Brian the perfect gift idea for his wife.

Since 2008, Big Think has been sharing big ideas from creative and curious minds. Since 2015, the Think Again podcast has been taking us out of our comfort zone, surprising our guests and Jason Gots, your host, with unexpected conversation starters from Big Think’s interview archives. In the second year of what’s becoming a tradition here on Think Again, this is a mixtape of some of Jason's favorite moments from the past year’s shows. Things that stuck with him because they were funny, or especially wise, or because of something extraordinary about the conversation that he can't quite put his finger on. This episode — 2017 Mixtape #2 — features lexicographer Kory Stamper, novelist and essayist Teju Cole, fiction writer George Saunders, philosopher Slavoj Zizek, geneticist Jennifer Doudna, and actor Timothy Spall. Among the many ideas that come up: language pet peeves, human rights, neighbors, cyborgs, the ethics of gene editing, stillness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we look at the science, art, and craft of lexicography as we go backstage into the process of how dictionaries are made. We spend the hour with Kory Stamper, a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and author of the book "Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries", to learn more about the history of dictionaries, what their purpose is, and how defining words isn't as straightforward as you might think.

What do lawyers and lexicographers have in common? The main job of both is to argue over the meaning of words. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles talks with Kory Stamper about her work as a lexicographer and editor for Merriam-Webster; her new book, “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries”; and her position as chief defender of the word "irregardless." We explore the difference between the prescriptivists—whose champion, Bryan A. Garner, writes a column for the ABA Journal—and the descriptivists, and why using the dictionary definition of a word should not end all arguments. We also find out what goes on behind the scenes to produce the newest edition of a Merriam-Webster dictionary.

What do lawyers and lexicographers have in common? The main job of both is to argue over the meaning of words. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles talks with Kory Stamper about her work as a lexicographer and editor for Merriam-Webster; her new book, “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries”; and her position as chief defender of the word "irregardless." We explore the difference between the prescriptivists—whose champion, Bryan A. Garner, writes a column for the ABA Journal—and the descriptivists, and why using the dictionary definition of a word should not end all arguments. We also find out what goes on behind the scenes to produce the newest edition of a Merriam-Webster dictionary.

In Part Two of this file the associate editor and lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, and acclaimed author of the book Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, Kory Stamper, paid me a visit to talk about being a celebrity word nerd, how she manages her time between the dictionary and her own writing, and the pending “pencil apocalypse.” Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! In addition to writing and editing for the oldest dictionary in the U.S., Kory gained notoriety when she appeared in Merriam-Webster’s popular “Ask the Editor” video series, short video blogs that tackle topics of “lexical contempt” like irregardless. Her non-fiction debut is titled Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, and it “… 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.” Publishers Weekly called it a “… witty, sly, occasionally profane behind-the-scenes tour aimed at deposing the notion of real and proper English.” The New Yorker called it “illuminating,” and “An unlikely page-turner.” Kory also blogs about language and “defining the words that define us” on her own website, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times, and on Slate.com. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. If you missed the first half you can find it right here. In Part Two of this file Kory Stamper and I discuss: The importance of boredom, procrastination, deadlines, and staring into space Secrets on how lexicographers stays sane Why you should rethink your definition of creativity How to counteract the “tyranny of the alphabet” Her tendency to hoard rare pencils Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Merriam-Webster Lexicographer and Author Kory Stamper Writes: Part One Kory’s blog – KoryStamper.wordpress.com Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries – Kory Stamper Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster’s “Ask the Editor” video series on YouTube The Case Against the Grammar Scolds – The Atlantic Kory Stamper on npr’s Fresh Air Kory Stamper on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter

The associate editor and lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, and acclaimed author of the book Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, Kory Stamper, paid me a visit to talk about being a celebrity word nerd, how she manages her time between the dictionary and her own writing, and the pending “pencil apocalypse.” Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! In addition to writing and editing for the oldest dictionary in the U.S., Kory gained notoriety when she appeared in Merriam-Webster’s popular “Ask the Editor” video series, short video blogs that tackle topics of “lexical contempt” like irregardless. Her non-fiction debut is titled Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, and it “… 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.” Publishers Weekly called it a “… witty, sly, occasionally profane behind-the-scenes tour aimed at deposing the notion of real and proper English.” The New Yorker called it “illuminating,” and “An unlikely page-turner.” Kory also blogs about language and “defining the words that define us” on her own website, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times, and on Slate.com. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Kory Stamper and I discuss: How a want ad in a print newspaper led to her writing career The viral video blog that catapulted her into the spotlight Why your high school English teacher lied to you How Kory’s book will make you feel better about your frustrations with usage Why writing a book is also a full-time job Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Merriam-Webster Lexicographer and Author Kory Stamper Writes: Part Two Kory’s blog – KoryStamper.wordpress.com Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries – Kory Stamper Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster’s “Ask the Editor” video series on YouTube Kory Stamper on npr’s Fresh Air The Case Against the Grammar Scolds – The Atlantic Kory Stamper on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter

Lexicographers write and edit dictionaries, and while they're becoming a rare breed, language—ever evolving—is a growth industry. There are only some fifty full-time lexicographers in the U.S. They spend their time reading, writing, and synthesizing the words we use, eschew, and transform. Lewis Lapham talks with Kory Stamper, lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and the author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries. Thanks to our generous donors. Lead support for this podcast has been provided by Elizabeth “Lisette” Prince. Additional support was provided by James J. “Jimmy” Coleman Jr.

Dictionaries: they’re made by real people! In episode 8 of Lingthusiasm, your hosts Lauren Gawne and Gretchen McCulloch talk about Word by Word, a recent book by Kory Stamper, a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, about how dictionaries get made. (Spoiler: we liked it.) We also talk about how dictionaries get made for languages that don’t have any yet, the changing role of dictionaries on the internet and with social media, and how words often have a longer history than we expect (’g-string’, for example has been in use since at least 1878). Our latest Patreon bonus is about selling your linguistics skills to employers. (Previous bonuses: swearing and how to teach yourself linguistics.) Go to http://patreon.com/lingthusiasm to check them out! For more information, and links to things mentioned in this episode, visit the show page: http://lingthusiasm.com/post/160811944696/lingthusiasm-episode-8-people-who-make

Since 2008, Big Think has been sharing big ideas from creative and curious minds. The Think Again podcast takes us out of our comfort zone, surprising our guests and Jason Gots, your host, with unexpected conversation starters from Big Think’s interview archives. Kory Stamper is a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, often seen on their “Ask the Editor” video series. Her funny and fascinating book Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries is about the how the sausage of dictionaries is made, and about the slipperiness of words themselves. This is not a “prescriptivist” manifesto, fussily criticizing people’s misuse of apostrophes or words like “irregardless.” On the contrary, like any lexicographer worth her salt (and salt, as Kory will tell you, was once so valuable it was used as money, which is where we get the word “salary” from…) Kory’s a professional “descriptivist”, painstakingly trying to pin down how words are actually used even as they try to wriggle away from her. Surprise conversation starter interview clips: Adam Mansbach on the term "political correctness" and Rob Bell on the word "Hell" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Sometimes you want to make the dictionary sexy but it’s just not a sexy thing,” says Kory Stamper, lexicographer for the Merriam-Webster dictionaries. Sorry if this is disillusioning news for you. The dictionary is not a sexy thing, but as Kory explains, it is a fascinating, complicated, exacting thing. There’s more about this episode at http://theallusionist.org/authority. Stay in touch at http://twitter.com/allusionistshow and http://facebook.com/allusionistshow. The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia.fm for PRX.org. Join us for Radiotopia’s live tour of west coast cities this May – http://radiotopia.fm/live.

"My book is about dictionaries and about the English language and the people who write dictionaries and about people who use the English language. I wrote the book out of my experiences as a lexicographer, which is a writer and editor of dictionaries and because the more you do lexicography, the more you find out about English, and English is an amazing language, even though it drives people up the proverbial wall."

It's finally over, kids. This monstrosity of a year is coming to a close! And to celebrate, Amy + Rebecca sit down with Kory Stamper, lexicographer for Merriam-Webster, to discuss the dictionary's 2016 Word Of The Year: Surreal. We also learn fabulous new swears, consider Beowulf, and say eff you to the academy. Happy New Year, Mash-Ups! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's finally over, kids. This monstrosity of a year is coming to a close! And to celebrate, Amy + Rebecca sit down with Kory Stamper, lexicographer for Merriam-Webster, to discuss the dictionary's 2016 Word Of The Year: Surreal. We also learn fabulous new swears, consider Beowulf, and say eff you to the academy. Happy New Year, Mash-Ups! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.