The fight for the modern dictionary, with Stefan Fatsis

The fight for the modern dictionary, with Stefan Fatsis

1123. This week, we talk with author and self-described “word freak” Stefan Fatsis about his book "Unabridged." He shares his experience embedding at Merriam-Webster to become a lexicographer, sharing the contrast between the company's 1940s headquarters and the modern digital business. We look at the tension between updating old words (like the surprising original meaning of "pompom girl") and the need to add new, "sexy" words to generate web traffic.

Find Stefan Fatsis on his website, Bluesky or Facebook.

Get the book, Unabridged.

🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.

🔗 Take our advertising survey.

🔗 Get the edited transcript.

🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.

🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

  • Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
  • Director of Podcast: Holly Hutchings
  • Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
  • Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes, Rebekah Sebastian

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(965)

298 GG Color Your Readers' Imagination with Words

298 GG Color Your Readers' Imagination with Words

"Dogs" or "mastiffs"? "Beer" or "ale"? It really does matter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

4 Nov 20117min

297 GG How to Search a Corpus

297 GG How to Search a Corpus

It's a database, not a dead body. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 Okt 20117min

029 GG "They" as a Singular Pronoun

029 GG "They" as a Singular Pronoun

Can you use "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

21 Okt 20117min

294 GG Do You Resent Your Editor?

294 GG Do You Resent Your Editor?

Tips for dealing with criticism. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

7 Okt 20117min

293 When to Capitalize Seasons

293 When to Capitalize Seasons

When to Capitalize Seasons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 Sep 20115min

292 Overcoming Writer’s Block

292 Overcoming Writer’s Block

Overcoming Writer’s Block Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

23 Sep 20116min

288 Compound Nouns

288 Compound Nouns

Compound Nouns Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Aug 20115min

284 Who Says “Fun” Can’t Be an Adjective?

284 Who Says “Fun” Can’t Be an Adjective?

Who Says “Fun” Can’t Be an Adjective? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14 Jul 20113min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
hanna-de-heldige
fryktlos
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
treningspodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
foreldreradet
jakt-og-fiskepodden
dypdykk
rss-sunn-okonomi
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
sinnsyn
hverdagspsyken
rss-kunsten-a-leve
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-mann-i-krise-med-sagen
branncast
mikkels-paskenotter
doktor-fives-podcast