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Old Dictionary Pages Turn Up In A Bookshop
- Ammon found a 1940s Miriam Webster binder in a Salt Lake City used bookstore containing a 1930s Atlantic article.
- The article reported 52% of college graduates used invigorating as a synonym for enervating, surprising Ammon about historical usage shifts.
Frequency Drives Dictionary Entries
- Modern lexicographers rely on frequency in published edited text to decide which senses to enter.
- Editors see bemuse frequently but enervate rarely, which shapes entry decisions.
When Words Become 'Skunked'
- A word becomes 'skunked' when coexisting senses make communication unclear without clarification.
- Bemuse and nonplussed are examples where users often avoid the words to prevent ambiguity.