Culture · 6 pages · 12 min
How a dictionary decides what is a word
A general dictionary records words people actually use, and it does not grant permission.
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From the opening
A modern general dictionary treats something as a word when evidence shows people use it with a recognizable meaning. The entry is a record of that use, not a license that turns a string into language. The opening covers citations matter more than approval, separate senses are separate decisions, and names and one-offs may be omitted.
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Inside
- Citations matter more than approval
- Separate senses are separate decisions
- Names and one-offs may be omitted
- Different dictionaries draw different lines
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Citation-based descriptive lexicography
- Historical dictionaries arranged by attested senses