Erin McKean: Go ahead, make up new words!

Summary

In this engaging talk, lexicographer Erin McKean explores the creative possibilities within language. She explains how dictionary creation isn't about deciding what's a word, but about embracing what people collectively agree on. McKean challenges rigid grammatical rules and encourages word innovation, introducing six fun ways to create new words—borrowing from other languages, compounding, blending, functional shifts, back-formation, and acronyms. With humor and insight, she argues that new words are essential for expressing ideas and capturing attention, urging everyone to start creating words and contributing to the ever-evolving English language.

Takeaways

• 😀 A lexicographer's job is to compile dictionaries and capture the evolving nature of language.
• 😀 The definition of a word is a collective agreement among speakers of a language.
• 😀 There are two types of grammar: unconscious rules of language and usage rules that reflect social norms.
• 😀 Native speakers follow natural language rules without being explicitly taught, as demonstrated by the 'wug' experiment.
• 😀 Creativity in language is encouraged, and people should feel free to invent new words.
• 😀 New words can be created by borrowing from other languages, often for appealing concepts or items.
• 😀 Compounding is a common way to form new words by combining two existing words, like 'bookworm' or 'sandcastle.'
• 😀 Blending involves merging parts of words, such as 'brunch' from 'breakfast' and 'lunch.'
• 😀 Functional shifts allow existing words to take on new grammatical roles, like 'friend' becoming a verb.
• 😀 Back-formation simplifies words by removing parts, leading to formations like 'edit' from 'editor.'
• 😀 Acronyms and initialisms (like NASA and OMG) are effective methods of creating new terms.
• 😀 Creating new words can enhance expression and communication, drawing attention and facilitating understanding.

Q & A

What is the primary role of a lexicographer?

A lexicographer's primary role is to compile and define words for dictionaries, aiming to include as many words as possible without deciding which words are valid.

How do people collectively decide what constitutes a word in a language?

The determination of what a word is comes from the collective agreement of speakers of the language, as everyone contributes to its evolution and understanding.

What are the two kinds of grammar discussed in the script?

The two kinds of grammar are: 1) the unconscious rules inside our brains, which we learn naturally as children, and 2) usage rules that are more about social norms and manners.

What is an example used to illustrate natural grammatical rules?

An example used is the concept of a 'wug.' When presented with a single 'wug' and then asked what two of them are called, people intuitively respond with 'wugs,' demonstrating an unconscious understanding of pluralization.

How does the speaker differentiate between natural grammar and usage rules?

Natural grammar is likened to laws of nature, which we follow without being explicitly told, while usage rules are more like social conventions that dictate how we use words in specific contexts.

What are some common methods for creating new words in English?

New words can be created by borrowing from other languages, compounding existing words, blending parts of words, functional shifting, back-formation, and using acronyms.

What is an example of a blend word mentioned in the script?

Examples of blend words mentioned include 'brunch' (from 'breakfast' and 'lunch') and 'motel' (from 'motor' and 'hotel').

What is 'functional shift' in the context of word creation?

Functional shift refers to the process of taking a word that functions as one part of speech and changing it to serve as another, such as turning the noun 'friend' into the verb 'to friend.'

What does the speaker encourage the audience to do regarding word creation?

The speaker encourages the audience to be creative and invent new words, emphasizing that there are no age limits in English for making words.

Why does the speaker believe making new words is important?

Making new words is important because it allows individuals to express ideas more clearly, grabs people's attention, and enhances communication.