{"product_id":"word-by-word-the-secret-life-of-dictionaries","title":"Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries","description":"\u003cp\u003eDo you have strong feelings about the word irregardless? Have you ever tried to define the word is? Brimming with intelligence and personality  this vastly entertaining account of how dictionaries are made is a must-read for word mavens.  Many of us take dictionaries for granted  and few may realize that the process of writing dictionaries 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 usage in an ever-changing language. 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. And along the way  she reveals little-known surprisesfor example  the fact that OMG was first used in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917.  Word by Word brings to life the hallowed halls (and highly idiosyncratic cubicles) of Merriam-Webster  a startlingly rich world inhabited by quirky and erudite individuals who quietly shape the way we communicate. Certain to be a delight for all lovers of words  Stampers debut will make you laugh as much as it makes you appreciate the wonderful complexities and eccentricities of the English language.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44986290667573,"sku":"ByrdShop_110187094X","price":29.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781101870945.jpg?v=1770894832","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/word-by-word-the-secret-life-of-dictionaries","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}