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Dictionary.com’s word of the year isn’t really a word — 

 that went viral on TikTok. The selection 

 among lexicographers. But editors argued that social media is a major force in creating new words these days, and the whole point of choosing a word of the year is to “reveal the stories we tell about ourselves and how we've changed.”

It’s no surprise to author Stefan Fatsis, who chronicles the rise of the modern dictionary in his new book, “

Unabridged: The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary

.” He joined Kerri Miller on this week’s Big Books and Bold Ideas to nerd out over words and to talk about the power the humble dictionary has to shape our lives. 

“Language bubbles up from below,” Fatsis says. “For at least the last 60 years, the dictionary’s  function is to be descriptive, to reflect back on culture the way we humans use language — as opposed to prescriptive, the belief for many generations, which was that dictionaries should tell people how to use language.”

Fatsis also talks about his time being embedded as a lexicographer-in-training at America’s most famous dictionary publisher, Merriam-Webster, and how the internet and AI threaten this most foundational of books. 

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In “Unabridged,” author Stefan Fatsis lauds the humble dictionary - and warns about its demise. 

The delight — and potential downfall — of the modern dictionary

Side-by-side image. On the left, a man props his head on his hand while leaning on a book. On the right, an orange book cover for "Unabridged," featuring cartoons of men with magnifying glasses.

The delight — and potential downfall — of the modern dictionary

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