Lise's Ramblings

Hear ye, fair readers of mine own random ramblings, yesternight ‘twas the oft celebrat’d birth of good William. Methinks ‘tis happen’d four hundred and forty eight times o’er.    While his exact birthday cannot be confirmed, April 23 rd has long been the agreed upon date to honour William Shakespeare (1564−1616). And despite the mystery shrouding aspects of his life, and the controversy and intrigue generated by his art, everyone from historians, English professors and literary critics to conspiracy theorists and ninnies can agree that the Shakespearean works have staying power. For more than four centuries, Shakespeare's works have influenced theatre goers, readers, teachers, students and people from all walks of life. I know I’ll never forget my initiation, as a pre-teen bowled over by Shakespeare's language and wit. My mother encouraged me to read “Twelfth Night” and then we took in an incredible performance of that ...

Sure, my Scrabble Dictionary suffices for resolving most disputes in word games, but it doesn’t cut it for anything else. Sometimes you need to consult an authority. When it comes to words, The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) reigns as the heavyweight―literally and figuratively speaking. After all, the OED is dubbed “The definitive record of the English language” and its weighty 20 volumes fill at least one reference shelf. Photo by emdot on Flickr And talk about dedicated fans. When new words are added to the OED ’s tomes, healthy debates rage internationally between bibliophiles, librarians, lexicographers, linguists, etymologists, academics and your average Joe/Jane. I find it remarkable that more than 150 years after the OED ’s origins, authors and bloggers alike continue to be inspired to write fiction and non-fiction works about the OED (e.g., The Professor and the Madman ; The Meaning of Everything ; Reading the OED ; Treasure House of the English Language ; Empir...