Many thanks to Judah, who just sent me this link to the webcomic Bathos, which includes the new words "Oxfording" and "resoneged". Go. Click.
I suppose it's worth mentioning that for YEARS I had and wore a t-shirt that said "I never should have used the word bathos", huh? It's a long story, but no, I don't have any connection with the folks behind this comic (other than having thoroughly enjoyed it).
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Erin McKean's Other Blog 
FYRI, James Murray was the first editor of the oxford dictionary. He worked tirelessly for decades on it. He almost quit a couple of times, and was almost fired also!. An extraordinarily dedicated human being. ( Source: Wikipedia ( dubious at best, I know, former admin! ).Where is more biographical information on this extraordinary man?
LikeLike
Oxfordising! Erin, I saw a presentation of yours on TED and loved it! Though an American citizen, I lived outside Oxford for 6 years. As far as getting a new word into the dictionary, I think one doesnt even have to try hard at. A Brittish Sitcom had created a new exclamatory word (that which escapes me at the moment) but to the surprise of the writers, the word was put into the dictionary, purely due to the fact that so many people were using that particular word since the show. As we “modernise” our language and our word collections, they will reflect our culture and language of the masses.
LikeLike
James Murray was not the first editor of the OED, although he was the most notable. Herbert Coleridge, grandson of the poet, was the first editor.Read “The Meaning of Everything” by Simon Winchester. And “The Surgeon of Crowthorne” for an insight into one of the OED’s most remarkable contributors.
LikeLike