The Book Club
Sarah Ogilvie: The Dictionary People
Sep 20, 2023
Sarah Ogilvie discusses the unique structure of the Oxford English Dictionary, the crowdsourcing method used to gather quotations, and how it became 'the Wikipedia of its day'. She uncovers the unsung heroes behind the making of the dictionary, including crowdsourcing in the Victorian era and the surprising contributions of a murderer and patient in a mental asylum. The chapter also explores the involvement of women in the dictionary's creation, highlighting the correlation with the suffragette movement.
44:36
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Quick takeaways
- The Oxford English Dictionary was unique in that it crowdsourced word submissions from people worldwide, making it a precursor to modern crowdsourcing projects like Wikipedia.
- The dictionary people, including amateurs and women, played a crucial role in the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, highlighting the diverse and dedicated community behind it.
Deep dives
The Structure of the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
In 1857, a dictionary was proposed that aimed to include every word in the English language. Unlike previous dictionaries that were prescriptive, this dictionary would be descriptive, based on written sources and how people actually use words. To accomplish such a massive task, the creators decided to crowdsource the dictionary by inviting people worldwide to read local books, gather local words, and send them to Oxford. This crowdsourcing effort turned out to be a massive success, with thousands of people sending in slips containing word quotations. The dictionary was written in a scriptorium, a corrugated iron shed in James Murray's garden.
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