Peter Sokolowski
@petersokolowski.bsky.social
Dictionary ambassador, Merriam-Webster.
Pinned
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary 12th Edition Deep Dive.
New paper dictionary arrives 11/18!
youtube.com/shorts/Ur4Ek...
New paper dictionary arrives 11/18!
youtube.com/shorts/Ur4Ek...
The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary 12th Edition Deep Dive.
YouTube video by Merriam-Webster
youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary 12th Edition Deep Dive.
New paper dictionary arrives 11/18!
youtube.com/shorts/Ur4Ek...
New paper dictionary arrives 11/18!
youtube.com/shorts/Ur4Ek...
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
I don’t know if there’s a word in the dictionary to describe the level of excitement I have for my interview with @petersokolowski.bsky.social!! He’s such a delightful person and I loved getting to know him! Y’all are in for a treat!
Yes, “y’all” is in the dictionary and so is “fangirl.”
Yes, “y’all” is in the dictionary and so is “fangirl.”
November 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I don’t know if there’s a word in the dictionary to describe the level of excitement I have for my interview with @petersokolowski.bsky.social!! He’s such a delightful person and I loved getting to know him! Y’all are in for a treat!
Yes, “y’all” is in the dictionary and so is “fangirl.”
Yes, “y’all” is in the dictionary and so is “fangirl.”
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
“Dude” originally an insult (from “yankee doodle” in the 1880s), remaining w negative association in the 1940s/50s for zoot suiters
#NWAV53
#NWAV53
November 5, 2025 at 5:03 PM
“Dude” originally an insult (from “yankee doodle” in the 1880s), remaining w negative association in the 1940s/50s for zoot suiters
#NWAV53
#NWAV53
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
I'm giving a talk on Friday @smithcollege.bsky.social about the surprising parallels in the history of the first vernacular monolingual dictionaries in English and French, part of the SE17 French Studies Conference.
November 4, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I'm giving a talk on Friday @smithcollege.bsky.social about the surprising parallels in the history of the first vernacular monolingual dictionaries in English and French, part of the SE17 French Studies Conference.
I'm giving a talk on Friday @smithcollege.bsky.social about the surprising parallels in the history of the first vernacular monolingual dictionaries in English and French, part of the SE17 French Studies Conference.
November 4, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I'm giving a talk on Friday @smithcollege.bsky.social about the surprising parallels in the history of the first vernacular monolingual dictionaries in English and French, part of the SE17 French Studies Conference.
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Remember how @benzimmer.bsky.social and I talked about the origin of "Big Easy" in last week's podcast?
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
November 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Remember how @benzimmer.bsky.social and I talked about the origin of "Big Easy" in last week's podcast?
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
I honestly would have thought that, by now, "Wherever you get your podcasts" would have gone the way of "WWW" before web addresses.
November 3, 2025 at 6:07 PM
I honestly would have thought that, by now, "Wherever you get your podcasts" would have gone the way of "WWW" before web addresses.
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Incredible recycling effort in Somerville, MA
So we make a flavor called Stole Some Kids’ Halloween Candy, and the candy we’re stealing is from your kid and mine. For the next week, please bring in left over Halloween candy and trade it for a scoop of ice cream.
November 3, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Incredible recycling effort in Somerville, MA
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
With the 12th Collegiate coming super soon, got my hands on a 5th!
November 3, 2025 at 5:18 PM
With the 12th Collegiate coming super soon, got my hands on a 5th!
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Jack with a Lantern. An ignis fatuus.
johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/jack_wi...
johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/jack_wi...
October 31, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Jack with a Lantern. An ignis fatuus.
johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/jack_wi...
johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/jack_wi...
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
November 2, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
A collection of great language posts!
I recently realized that this month is the twentieth (!) blogiversary of Arrant Pedantry. My posting frequency has been pretty bad the last few years as I've dealt with health problems, pandemic burnout, and regular burnout, but I wanted to mark the occasion by sharing some of my favorite posts.
October 31, 2025 at 8:36 PM
A collection of great language posts!
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Are you watching the World Series tonight?
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Are you watching the World Series tonight?
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
Today is the TEOTENNIAL, the 100th birthday anniversary of Teo Macero.
Is there a producer of jazz albums who made more famous albums?
Take Five
Mingus Ah Um
Monk.
Bitches Brew
Is there a producer of jazz albums who made more famous albums?
Take Five
Mingus Ah Um
Monk.
Bitches Brew
October 31, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Today is the TEOTENNIAL, the 100th birthday anniversary of Teo Macero.
Is there a producer of jazz albums who made more famous albums?
Take Five
Mingus Ah Um
Monk.
Bitches Brew
Is there a producer of jazz albums who made more famous albums?
Take Five
Mingus Ah Um
Monk.
Bitches Brew
Devil's advocate: how do we explain the way most speakers analyze 'omnipotent' in a way that completely disguises it's constituent word parts?
(My only point is that logic is never the only answer in English phonetics.)
(My only point is that logic is never the only answer in English phonetics.)
"Biographical picture." "Bio" "Pic." "BI-OH-PIC."
Everyone talks about biopics. But how do they say “biopic”?
October 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Devil's advocate: how do we explain the way most speakers analyze 'omnipotent' in a way that completely disguises it's constituent word parts?
(My only point is that logic is never the only answer in English phonetics.)
(My only point is that logic is never the only answer in English phonetics.)
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Everyone talks about biopics. But how do they say “biopic”?
It’s One of Our Most Controversial Genres. But Even More Controversial Is How You Pronounce It.
We have reached Peak Biopic—but still no one agrees on how you say the word.
slate.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Everyone talks about biopics. But how do they say “biopic”?
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
October 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
YouTube video by Clifford Brown - Topic
youtu.be
October 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Such a great story, and a great sculpture!
It's a more fun story than you're imagining. After seeing this flask from 1909 at Samuel Johnson's house several years back, I noted multiple times online that a capitalism that could not deliver me a bust of Samuel Johnson in 2025 was a poor capitalism. 1/
October 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Such a great story, and a great sculpture!
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
October 29, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Today is the Zootennial.
Zoot Sims.
Zoot Sims.
October 30, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Today is the Zootennial.
Zoot Sims.
Zoot Sims.
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
So this is happening…
www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/... #coltrane #jazzrelics #familyheirlooms #altomadness
www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/... #coltrane #jazzrelics #familyheirlooms #altomadness
October 29, 2025 at 11:45 PM
So this is happening…
www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/... #coltrane #jazzrelics #familyheirlooms #altomadness
www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/... #coltrane #jazzrelics #familyheirlooms #altomadness
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
Life is too short to read Foucault.
October 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Life is too short to read Foucault.
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
I don’t know when I started doing this (possibly in middle school) but I’ve always used a squiggly line underneath a word to mark one that I needed to look up in the dictionary.
October 27, 2025 at 11:27 PM
I don’t know when I started doing this (possibly in middle school) but I’ve always used a squiggly line underneath a word to mark one that I needed to look up in the dictionary.
Reposted by Peter Sokolowski
October 27, 2025 at 10:04 PM