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You know what's an absolutely pesky kind of word to define in a dictionary? Colour names. A passel of lexicographers spent years - decades, even - trying different ways to describe colours in words for Webster's Third International Dictionary. It was such a huge, complicated effort that it took twelve years for former Merriam-Webster lexicographer and alumsionist Kory Stamper to write a book about it.
Content note: this episode contains a couple of category B swears. There is also mention of puke - but, emetophobes, it's not the puke that you think.
EXTRA MATERIALS:
Yes, you too can join the Inter-Society Color Council.
Kory recently appeared in this episode of our podpal Lingthusiasm. “I guess lexicographers just live in a permanent state of existential dread.” Really selling the job there, Kory!
“Pompadour admitted to having ‘the misfortune to be of a very cold temperament’, and attempts to increase her libido with a diet of truffles, celery, and vanilla were unsuccessful.”
Brent Berlin and Paul Kay’s 1969 book Basic Color Terms: Their Universality and Evolution.
Otherlusionists: Listen to Kory go into detail about what the job of lexicographer involves in the episode The Authority. It’s nigh miraculous dictionaries manage to exist at all. Also, the Objectivity episode is about the concept of objectivity/impossibility of humans achieving said objectivity.
Sign up at theallusionist.org/donate to join me for regular livestreams where I read from my ever-expanding collection of vintage dictionaries. This multi-year project has proven very revealing about the idiosyncrasies of dictionaries, and the people who write them! (Some of whom alas can't get enough of the word 'pudend.) As well as that, you get behind the scenes info about every episode, plus watchalong parties for films and TV shows - you're in time to catch the end of the first season of the very funny Australian murder mystery Deadloch - and you get the company of your fellows in the Allusioverse Discord community. And best of all, you're funding the continuing existence of this independent podcast.
YOUR RANDOMLY SELECTED WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY:
imago, noun (plural ‘imagos’ or ‘imagines’)
1. entomology: the final and fully developed adult stage of an insect.
2. Psychoanalysis: an unconscious idealized mental image of someone, which influences a person's behaviour.
Origin 18th century, modern Latin use of Latin imago 'image'.
CREDITS:
Kory Stamper is a writer and lexicographer. Her latest book is True Color: the Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color, from Azure to Zinc. Find her and her work at korystamper.com.
This episode was produced by me, Helen Zaltzman, on the unceded ancestral and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Music and editorial assistance were provided by Martin Austwick. Download his songs at palebirdmusic.com and listen to his podcasts Song By Song and Neutrino Watch.
Find the Allusionist at youtube.com/allusionistshow, instagram.com/allusionistshow, facebook.com/allusionistshow, @allusionistshow.bsky.social… Essentially: if I’m there, I’m there as @allusionistshow.
Back in two weeks with a new episode - HZ.
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