Language is a signifier - it points to something. But those somethings change sometimes. Where the line comes down is that change… — Kory Stamper Change Copy Share Image
Back in the 19th century, our marketing folks decided to play up the refined usage angle because prescriptivism was very popular: our… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
“When a lexicographer says “unless…” in the middle of defining, you should turn out the lights and go home, first making sure… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
“Most lexicographers had no clue that such a career path existed until they were smack in the middle of it. Neil Serven,… — kory stamper Career path Copy Share Image
I don't know that I would say words are more political now, particularly after Donald Trump has come into office. I will… — Kory Stamper Attention Copy Share Image
It's difficult to sit down and write a letter back saying, "you know what, even if we remove the word from the… — Kory Stamper Dictionary Copy Share Image
The history of English is full of that, lots of things done with good intentions that 200 years down the road have… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
There's a measure of prescriptivism and descriptivism in every dictionary. Prescriptivism believes that the language should mirror the best practices of English,… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
“Every republic runs its greatest risk not so much from discontented soldiers as from discontented multi-millionaires. They are very rarely, if ever,… — Kory Stamper American dream Copy Share Image
With "marriage," the word gets applied to same-sex marriages by proponents and opponents alike. That means the word itself is changing, and… — Kory Stamper Authority Copy Share Image
“Removing racial slurs from the dictionary will not eliminate racism; removing “injustice” from the dictionary will not bring about justice. If it… — Kory Stamper Justice Copy Share Image
I certainly self-police my language depending on who I'm talking to. I try to be very careful about using filler words, about… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
“Under ordinary circumstances, we learn to speak before we learn to read, and anyone who has tried to learn a foreign language… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
“Ah, but those horrid initialisms, naysayers cry—“LOL” and “OMG”—surely a mark of modern laziness, moral decline, and the end of Good English… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
Language is the primary way we communicate with each other, and we have really strong feelings about what words mean, and about… — Kory Stamper College Copy Share Image
It's very easy, when things like the gay marriage write-in happen, to get sick of how people view language and say, "ah,… — Kory Stamper Children Copy Share Image
“Person, Place, Thing (Noun); Describes Action (Verb); Modifies Nouns (Adjective); Answers the W Questions (Adverb); Joins Words Together (Conjunction); Things We Say… — Kory Stamper Copy Share Image
A lot of people thought oh, we caught the dictionary in racism, or all it takes is a whole bunch of people… — Kory Stamper Dictionary Copy Share Image
“Most words come into being first in speech, then in private writing, and then in public, published writing, which means that if… — Kory Stamper Communication Copy Share Image
The initial 18th-, 19th-century intention was to give the less-educated lower classes a way to move up into this new, rising middle… — Kory Stamper Businessman Copy Share Image
