Word by Word

Starred review from December 5, 2016
For those who love language, this debut from Stamper, a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, will be a delectable feast. Stamper, who also produces the dictionary’s “Ask the Editor” video series, has drawn up a witty, sly, occasionally profane behind-the-scenes tour aimed at deposing the notion of “real and proper English” and replacing it with a genuine appreciation for the glories and frustrations of finding just the right word. Stamper claims to approach her subject irreverently, and she certainly does make fun of both language and those who peddle it for a living. But her teasing is belied by a real devotion to its spirit, if not to the letter of all the stuffy so-called laws. Liberally employing a host of wonderful words—foofaraw, potamologist—she declaims elegantly on the beauty and necessity of dialect, how to evaluate emerging words, and many other topics. Stamper is at her best when entertaining the reader with amusing etymologies, celebrating the contentiousness of grammar, and quoting annoying emails from an opinionated public. If she bogs down occasionally in the swamps of industry jargon, it’s easy to forgive her. As one of her colleagues notes, “Words are stubborn little fuckers.” However, Stamper corrals them to her purpose with such aplomb that readers might just feel like applauding. Agent: Heather Schroder, Compass Talent.

January 1, 2017
Strange words and how to find them.When Stamper first interviewed for a job at Merriam-Webster, she was excited. It was her dream job, and she got it. She was now a practicing lexicographer working at the oldest dictionary publisher in America. These "drudges at their desks" practiced a noble art, part creative process, part science. Her book is a "nitty-gritty, down-and-dirty, worm's-eye view of lexicography." Along with other "word nerds," Stamper writes and edits dictionary definitions, thinks "deeply about adverbs, and slowly, inexorably" goes blind. To be successful, you must, first and foremost, possess something called sprachgefuhl, or "a feeling for language." If you don't have it, you won't last six months. Stamper goes into great detail describing the inner workings of how dictionaries come into being, with each chapter focusing on a specific task or topic. She provides a short history of grammar and then spends an entire chapter on how much lexicographers hate the word "irregardless." The author also covers the history of dictionaries with a special shoutout to "His Cantankerousness," Samuel Johnson, whose 1755 dictionary set the standard for all future dictionaries. "Bitch" discusses how crude, vulgar, and embarrassing words get included, and other chapters deal with defining, small words, etymology, and pronunciation. And then there's the reading. After lexicographers answer all kinds of correspondence, they read everything, from magazines to TV dinner boxes to beer bottles and takeout menus. Stamper notes that the internet, which has put many dictionary publishers out of business, must be trolled for new words, too. She loves her work, and her enthusiasm adds a real zest to her tales of usage and the chase for words--e.g., "onymous," "cromulent," "vecturist," and "dope slap." Look them up. Those aficionados who love words and the language or who are big-time Scrabble fans will love this book, while others will feel like they're in over their heads.

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Starred review from March 1, 2017

Merriam-Webster (MW) lexicographer Stamper helps write and edit the estimable products of one of America's premier dictionary publishers. Hungry word lovers will find this book a delicious, multicourse meal of word lore, the personal story of the author's life and career, and detailed backstory of the harrowing process by which dictionaries are produced. Her well-designed volume consists of 15 chapters, each about a word ("it's," "irregardless," "take," "bitch," "posh," "marriage," etc.) and its history in the dictionary. Discussion of each word illustrates a topic in language or in lexicography such as grammar, defining words, etymology, dating of words, pronunciation, authority, etc. The real appeal is in the charming stories of the words and the personally guided tour of the MW editorial process, told in Stamper's fresh and funny voice. Another noteworthy, recent insider look at the making of a major dictionary is John Simpson's The Word Detective, about his tenure as editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. VERDICT A satisfying dip in the ocean of words and a thoughtful consideration of current American English and dictionaries.--Paul A. D'Alessandro, Brunswick, ME

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2016
Lexicography is not sexy, but in this spirited book about the science and art of making dictionaries, it is by turns amusing, frustrating, surprising, and above all, engrossing. Stamper is one of the lexicographers at Merriam-Webster, tasked with updating and creating dictionaries on an unforgiving editorial schedule. With wit and candor, she introduces us to the people behind the definitions, drinking terrible coffee made from orange foil packets as they labor away in near-total silence. It is perhaps unsurprising, given her line of work, that Stamper employs words with delightful precision in her writing. What is surprising is how enjoyable she makes reading about the drudgery of dictionary making. She illuminates the meaning and purpose of each portion of a dictionary entry and describes the pitfalls awaiting those who attempt to define an ever-changing language. Seen through Stamper's eyes, a dictionary is not only a reference source, but also a living linguistic record and a window into history. Word by Word offers marvelous insight into the messy world behind the tidy definitions on the page.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)