Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing Finding the true history of words, with Ben Zimmer
Oct 30, 2025
In this engaging discussion, linguist Ben Zimmer, known for his work as a language columnist and crossword constructor, shares his passion for uncovering the hidden histories of words. He reveals fascinating stories behind terms like 'scalawag' and 'jazz,' debunking their origins with surprising twists. The challenges of digitization in research are touched upon, alongside quirky facts about 'Ms.' and 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.' Zimmer's insights into collaboration within the linguistic community highlight the detective work behind our everyday language.
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Antedating Can Rewrite Word Histories
- Antedating uncovers earlier uses of words and can rewrite dictionary histories.
- Ben Zimmer shows how finding older examples reveals cultural and regional origins of terms.
Genealogist Unearths Scalawag's Origin
- A genealogist found an 1830s newspaper labeling his ancestor 'scalawags,' antedating known citations.
- That discovery unlocked the regional origin story in upstate New York and sparked further research.
Search Context, Not Just Short Words
- When searching for short forms like "Ms.", search for discussions about pronunciation or context, not just the two letters.
- Zimmer searched for patterns like "M-I" alongside "Ms" and traced usage to a 1901 Springfield Republican proposal.
