The Oxford English Dictionary, the Grimm Brothers, and Miley Cyrus: On the Changing Expectations of the OED: Past, Present and (Possible) Futures

November 15, 2013
Dodson Room, 3rd Floor, IKBLC
Stefan Dollinger, assistant professor of English language, UBC

This brief social history and criticism of the Oxford English Dictionary will contextualize its origins and reflect on how perceptions and expectations of the OED have changed over the decades. Professor Dollinger will consider whether Miley Cyrus may one day popularize concepts, words, and phrases that could find entry into the OED, whether such colloquialization has a place in this prestigious work, and how we might conceive of the English-language dictionary in the 21st century.

Presented by UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections. Organized by SLAIS student Chelsea Shriver.