Publisher's Synopsis
Many of us take dictionaries for granted, but the process of writing them is, in fact, as lively and dynamic as language itself. With sharp wit and irreverence, Kory Stamper cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it to the knotty questions of ever-changing usage. She explains why small words are the most difficult to define, how it can take nine months to define a single word, and how our biases about language and pronunciation can have tremendous social influence. Certain to be a delight for all lovers of words, Word by Word will make you laugh as much as it makes you appreciate the wonderful complexities and eccentricities of the English language.
