Description

Book Synopsis

**LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024**

Unmissable' Stephen Fry
''A delight'' Katherine Rundell
Illuminating' Susie Dent
''Brilliant'' Philippa Perry
''Enthralling'' Jeanette Winterson

What do three murderers, Karl Marx''s daughter and a vegetarian vicar have in common?
They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary.

The Oxford English Dictionary has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. But the Dictionary didn''t just belong to the experts; it relied on contributions from members of the public. By 1928, its 414,825 entries had been crowdsourced from a surprising and diverse group of people, from astronomers to murderers, naturists, pornographers, suffragists and queer couples.

Lexicographer Sarah Ogilvie dives deep into previously untapped archives to tell a people''s history of the OED. Here, she reveals, for the first time, th

The Dictionary People

    Product form

    £10.44

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £10.99 – you save £0.55 (5%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Fri 21 Aug 2026.

    A Paperback by Sarah Ogilvie

    1 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie

      Publisher: Penguin Random House Group
      Imprint: Vintage Publishing
      Publication Date: 9/5/2024
      ISBN13: 9781529922578, 978-1529922578
      ISBN10: 1529922577
      Also in:
      Dictionaries, Reference & Language Semantics, discourse analysis, stylistics

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      **LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024**

      Unmissable' Stephen Fry
      ''A delight'' Katherine Rundell
      Illuminating' Susie Dent
      ''Brilliant'' Philippa Perry
      ''Enthralling'' Jeanette Winterson

      What do three murderers, Karl Marx''s daughter and a vegetarian vicar have in common?
      They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary.

      The Oxford English Dictionary has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. But the Dictionary didn''t just belong to the experts; it relied on contributions from members of the public. By 1928, its 414,825 entries had been crowdsourced from a surprising and diverse group of people, from astronomers to murderers, naturists, pornographers, suffragists and queer couples.

      Lexicographer Sarah Ogilvie dives deep into previously untapped archives to tell a people''s history of the OED. Here, she reveals, for the first time, th

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account