Tag: dictionary

Categories
History Politics French Culture

The Fight for Purity: Inside the Académie Française and the Quest to Protect the French Language

Estimated read time 6 min read

For nearly 400 years, the forty “immortals” of the Académie Française have stood as the official guardians of the French language. But in a modern world dominated by English loanwords and digital slang, their quest for linguistic purity has become a fascinating and contentious battle. This is the story of their fight to protect French from “le franglais” and the enduring debate over whether a language can—or should—be controlled.

Categories
History Mental Health Linguistics English

The Surgeon and the Lexicographer: The Unlikely Genius Who Built the OED From an Asylum

Estimated read time 6 min read

The creation of the Oxford English Dictionary relied on thousands of volunteers, but none were as brilliant or enigmatic as Dr. W.C. Minor. From his cell in the Broadmoor Asylum for the Criminally Insane, this American Civil War surgeon became one of the OED’s most important contributors. His tragic and fascinating story reveals how a man tormented by madness found solace and purpose by helping to define the English language.