The Bizarre Origin of the Oxford English Dict...

In this week's Classic episode: Have you ever dreamed about shedding your old identity, casting aside your obligations and becoming an entirely different person? Susanna Caroline Matilda, narrowly escaping death after stealing from the Queen, did just that upon arriving at the Am ...  Show more

History is often taught as a series of discrete, unrelated events -- and that could not be further from the truth. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore a fascinating Venn diagram of historical events... and learn that, technically, yes! A samurai could have sent somethin ...  Show more

In 1844, the Philological Society of London began investigating the creation of a new English dictionary. This initial foray would lead to a dictionary that would be unlike any other dictionary ever created. It would not just give the definition and spelling of a word, but a co ...  Show more

The story of the Oxford English Dictionary is really something. From its origin to its crowd-sourced literary quotations. Dive in today to learn all about the best dictionary. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Compiling the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was a seventy-year endeavour that called on thousands of volunteers from all walks of life. The Dictionary People, reviewed by Daisy Hay in the LRB, is a recent attempt to track down the various characters who made the ...  Show more

This two-parter from 2012 covers William Chester Minor, whose life was tumultuous. Medical school, mental health issues, and murder are all part of the story of this prolific contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.