Decisions by dictionary editors, wacky wordplay, and Walt Whitman’s soaring verse. How do lexicographers decide which historical figures deserve a mention or perhaps even an illustration in the dictionary? The answer changes with the times. •...
Do dictionaries deal with copyright infringement or plagiarism when definitions match up between volumes? Since many modern dictionaries derive from the same few tomes, it’s common to see definitions that match. But lexicographers have been...
vegecurious adj.— «Tomerlin says about half of Spiral’s customers aren’t vegetarian, but folks she dubs “vegecurious” (sounds vaguely naughty). She advises first-timers to start with more entry-level dishes such as the taco...
touchback n.— «In addition, undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for two to five years, no matter where they live, would have to travel back to a port-of-entry on the U.S. border, such as El Paso, Texas, and go back...