My overlord, the Times (actually, Virginia Heffernan, who I've never met), has a nice bit in this Sunday's Magazine about the end of the printed OED, her discomfort over that, and her chagrined realization that most of her dictionary use has been electronic for some time.

As has mine, but it doesn't make me love my 1934 Webster's Second any less. But it illustrates the fact that ginormous printed dictionaries are now fetish objects, as often as not. For practical day-to-day use, the Interblag wins.

Heffernan closes with a few suggested lexicographic resources. One too few, as she omits Wordie. Otherwise a great piece.

Labels: New York Times, OED, Virginia Heffernan

This story, about a family of limnologists keeping records of a Siberian lake over a period of 60 years, has nothing to do with words, other than that it allows me to drop limnologist. But it's a great story, if you enjoy science writing.

I'm sorry the posts have been so sporadic lately. I have two excuses. First, it turns out that if you constantly pester some companies, they hire you: last month I started working as developer at the New York Times. I've been obsessed with the Times since I learned to read, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Marc Andreessen notwithstanding I think the Times is going to weather the transition to digital and thrive, and I'm psyched to be a small part of that. It's been a great gig so far, the sole downside being that it cuts into my Wordie time.

But I'm burying the lede: my wife and I had a beautiful and healthy baby daughter last Tuesday, so my attentions have been elsewhere. I'll get back to blogging when things settle down. They do settle down, right?

Labels: limnology, New York Times, Zadie