Redefining the Dictionary

"Love makes things real." Erin McKean, a lexicographer, wasn't referring to toys, but to words that people love that aren't found in dictionaries. We have many such words in the Philippines =)

The video above is of an enlightening and entertaining presentation that I just saw today (via Stephen's Lighthouse). The speaker, who is editor in chief of the Oxford American Dictionary, likens what she does to the work of a fisherman who uses his net to "catch" all kinds of words, not a traffic cop who separates the good words from the bad words. And while she knows a lot of big words (like erinaceous), she's also very good at simplifying them: "Serendipity is when you find things you weren't looking for because finding what you are looking for is so damned difficult."

Anyway, I thought reopening this blog with the words "Love makes things real" was a good way to welcome everyone back. For more about what the quote refers to, check out The Velveteen Rabbit or watch the video narrated by Meryl Streep.