Metadata
- Author: newstatesman.com
- Title: From aardvark to woke: inside the Oxford English Dictionary
- Reference: https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2022/06/oxford-english-dictionary-aardvark-woke-oed-history
- Category: #article
Page Notes
Highlights
- Whether the question is about culture-wars issues of race and gender or a grammatical quibble, the answer is the same: the OED describes how language is already being used; it does not prescribe how it should be used, nor endorse a word’s use. McPherson observes that the dictionary’s reliance on written sources means it is often “at the rearguard” of language change rather than leading the charge. — Updated on 2022-07-05 20:26:22 — Group: #Public