The earliest dictionaries were collections of criminal slang, swapped amongst ne'er-do-wells as a means of evading the authorities or indeed any outsider who might threaten the trade. — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
According to my parents, I've always liked to tune into the conversations of others. But rather than hope for a snippet of salacious gossip,… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
As dialect began to be collected in the late 19th century, such words as Yorkshire's 'gobslotch' emerged, revealing the burgeoning association between gluttony and… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
In the earliest days, make-up and moralising were intertwined. The 'cosmetic slops and washes' of the 17th and 18th centuries aimed to smooth complexions… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
I don't intentionally eavesdrop. I'm not looking for salacious gossip, I'm just looking for vocabulary items. — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
Above all, Jane Goodall continues to teach us that, as humans, we are no more entitled to our glorious planet than the chimps she… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
The notion of 'Queen's English' is usually applied to our pronunciation. — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
Slang has different functions: many of the words we use are playful and a lot are tribal - we speak the same way as… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
English has always been a mongrel tongue, snapping up words from every continent its speakers encountered. — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
As a nation we love our dialects, and there is a lot of regional variance in the names for different foods - barmcake, bap… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming that lexicographers are fierce protectors… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
The character of our language defines us, and dictionaries say as much about us as about the way we speak. — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
Almost half the adult population finds discussing the subject of money difficult. Slang words help us to navigate these conversations by making us feel… — Susie Dent Copy Share Image
