The Language Is The Dictionary

Erin McKean

Flickr: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0: baking_in_pearls

CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0 Andrew Kurjata

Flickr: oldtasty

CC-BY-NC-2.0 Marc Wathieu

Flickr: alexanderdrachmann

size matters

Number of Words

what does it all mean?

Obligatory Wittgenstein Reference

The meaning of a word is its use in

the language.

Ben Richards 1947

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that's all.”

how dictionaries are made

Not-So-Obligatory Trench Reference

Let the quotations yield as much information as they can be made to yield, in subordination to their primary purpose, which is, to illustrate the word, and not to tell us about the thing; and in the due and happy selection of these, so as, if possible, to combine both objects, the lexicographer may display eminent skill.

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

Flickr: oldtasty

Flickr: CC-BY-ND-2.0 cdrummbks

geeksta

graphene

bancassurance

purikura

Flickr: billjon

Number of Words

de gustibus …

CC-BY-SA-2.5 XKCD

What’s Real?

context is everything

Ebay: Lego Minfigs & More/Flickr: Dunechaser

who’s your daddy?

Flickr: CC-BY- NC-ND 2.0 slipstreamblue

erin@wordnik.com@emckean@wordnik