Oxford English Dictionary video notes

Writing the OED: New words

• Take words that aren’t in the dictionary and decide if they should be
• Draft entries for them
• Words come via wire basket of suggestions for new words from colleagues or public
• Consult in groups- collaborative process

How do you decide what to include in a dictionary?

• Depends on size and type  of dictionary
• Rare and specialist words in larger dictionaries aim to be as comprehensible as possible
• In smaller dictionaries a words usefulness has to be carefully considered
• Informal, low frequency or offensive words as made very clear that they are so
• New words added if enough evidence of their use
• Include more words in online because of more space

John Simpson interview: how have dictionaries changed?

• In 1976 worked on index cards which was the database
• Worked alphabetically
• More recently there are still cards but database in also on computer software

Writing the OED: American English

• Opened an OED office in New York which looks over American words such as American Slang
• Work on anything and everything relating to American entries new or old
• Language more informal
• Generally an acceptance of the informality in American English by British
• Accuracy of dictionary is important

Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary (2): exploring change

• Shows historical meaning and definitions as well as the etymology of a word
• Shows the time period of the changes the words have gone through
• Shows changes in spelling

Writing the OED

• Modern editors feel close to Victorian ones as the same processes are used
• Comprehensively revising and reviewing dictionary
• Finding earlier examples of words
• Trying to uncover small facts about the language
• Public input is important (since 1850s) makes definitions stronger
• Don’t throw away entries even if obsolete; an accumulating dictionary