Word By Word

by Kory Stamper
Word By Word cover
Good Books rating 4.33
Technical
  • ID: 1793
  • Added: 2025-10-10
  • Updated: 2025-10-10
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-15
positive 4.00

The reviewer praises Kory Stamper's book as a defense against linguistic pedantry, highlighting its celebration of English's messy evolution. The book is seen as a rebuke to grammar scolds, emphasizing language's adaptability and human influence.

Megan Garber's review of 'Word by Word' commends Kory Stamper's approach to language, criticizing the strict rules enforced by grammar scolds. The book is not just a memoir but also a history of English, showing how it thrives through experimentation and individual creativity. Garber appreciates Stamper's defense of language's natural evolution, pointing out that even esteemed figures like Jane Austen and Thomas Jefferson used 'incorrect' grammar, proving that language is dynamic and ever-changing.

Quick quotes

    These are boom times for linguistic pedantry. Never before have there been more outlets for opinionated humans to commiserate about the absurdities of 'irregardless' or the impropriety of 'impact'-as-a-verb or the aggressive affront to civil society that is the existence of the word 'moist.

    The vitriol is ironic — and, yes, I do mean ironic — and not merely because it puts the pendants in a precarious place, karmically.

    Dictionaries are human-written documents, with all the subjectivity and fallibility that such production-side origins will entail.

arrantpedantry.com · Unknown · 2017-11-20
fascinating 4.50

The reviewer praises Kory Stamper's book as a fascinating and witty exploration of lexicography, offering insights into the human effort behind dictionary-making. The book is described as both informative and entertaining, making it a must-read for word enthusiasts.

Kory Stamper's 'Word By Word' is a captivating look into the world of lexicography, revealing the meticulous work of dictionary editors. The reviewer highlights Stamper's engaging storytelling, which covers everything from the challenges of defining controversial words to the quirky interactions with colleagues. The book not only educates but also entertains, making it a delightful read for anyone interested in language.

Quick quotes

    Real people do this for a living. One of them is Kory Stamper, who has written a beautiful, fascinating, witty, loving, irreverent book about the life of the lexicographer.

    She explains what dictionaries really do and busts myths about what they don’t do.

    And she makes it all such damned good fun.

stroppyeditor.wordpress.com · Unknown · 2017-04-19
brilliant 4.50

Kory Stamper's Word by Word offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at dictionary-making, blending history, personal anecdotes, and linguistic insights. The book is a heartfelt, humorous exploration of how words shape us and our society.

Word by Word delves into the intricate process of creating dictionaries, revealing the meticulous work of lexicographers. Stamper shares her journey from a medieval Icelandic enthusiast to a seasoned editor, highlighting the challenges and nuances of defining words. The book also explores how language evolves, influenced by social factors like race and class, and challenges common myths about word origins.

Quick quotes

    Blending grammatical systems from two languages on different branches of the Indo-European language tree is a bit like mixing orange juice and milk: you can do it, but it’s going to be nasty.

    The fact is that many of the things that are presented to us as rules are really just the of-the-moment preferences of people who have had the opportunity to get their opinions published and whose opinions end up being reinforced and repeated down the ages as Truth.

    If logophiles want to be lexicographers when they grow up, then lexicographers want to be etymologists.

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