Dr Laura Bailey, Lecturer in the Department of English Language & Linguistics, was interviewed by Dominic King on BBC Radio Kent yesterday, Tuesday 30 January, to discuss the revelation that 1,000 new words have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary this week, including ‘mansplaining’ and ‘ransomware’.
‘The dictionary is very cautious about what words they add,’ explains Laura in the programme, ‘so these have been around a little while before they actually get into the dictionary. We are actually using all these, or at least most of these, already.’
‘Lexicographers are very thorough, careful people, and there are certain standards that words have to meet before they are allowed into the dictionary,’ she adds, describe the process of entering words into the dictionary, as well as the differences between print and online versions.
The programme is currently available online, and Laura’s interview can be found at approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05tybcs