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Episode opening, sponsor messages, and host introduction to Stefan Fatsis and his book Unabridged.

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1123. This week, we talk with author and self-described “word freak” Stefan Fatsis about his book "Unabridged." He shares his experience embedding at Merriam-Webster to become a lexicographer, sharing the contrast between the company's 1940s headquarters and the modern digital business. We look at the tension between updating old words (like the surprising original meaning of "pompom girl") and the need to add new, "sexy" words to generate web traffic.

Find Stefan Fatsis on his website, Bluesky or Facebook.

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