Episode Details
The 1932 edition of the Funk and Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary is a fine example of form and function coalesced into one marvelous tome. Join us as we examine it while sipping a few fingers of Writer’s Tears Irish Whiskey. Sláinte is táinte!
NEW: Read the show transcript here!
Books
dic′ tion-a-ry , 1. A book containing the words of any language, sometimes together with their equivalents in another language, or the words employed in any science or art, or special branch of knowledge, arranged alphabetically, and usually also with the spelling, pronunciation, etymology, and definitions of the words, together w with other explanatory or illustrative features; lexicon; a word book. (Page 705, column 3)
Booze
Writer’s Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey — Walsh Whiskey’s Writers’ Tears is a critically acclaimed, award-winning recreation of the fabled 19th century whiskey. A truly unique expression that is embedded in history. Known as the ‘champagne of Irish whiskey’ [this traditional 19th-century style] was a master blend of pot still and malt whiskeys, both distilled in copper pots. It was enjoyed by many of the great Irish writers of the day . . . of course less for its inspirational qualities than its full-bodied, flavoursome taste and creamy texture! It was said that they enjoyed it so much, that when they cried, their tears were of whiskey. (Producer’s website)
Amber Beverage Group expands into high-growth Irish whiskey sector with Walsh Whiskey acquisition at IrishWhiskeyMagazine.com
Source Material & References
The Scientific Reason You Should Add a Splash of Water to Your Whiskey at Smithsonianmag.com — A computer simulation shows that diluting whiskey brings flavor molecules to the surface, improving the aroma and taste of the tipple
Do spherical ice cubes actually melt 80% slower than square ice cubes? on Reddit.com
The Science of Ice: Full vs. Half Cubes – Which Melts Slower? at BestUnder250.com
101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die (5th edition) by Ian Buxton — [This] is a whisky guide with a difference. It is not an awards list. It is not a list of the 101 ‘best’ whiskies in the world in the opinion of a self-appointed whisky guru. It is simply a guide to the 101 whiskies that enthusiasts must seek out and try in order to complete their whisky education. (Publisher)
Definition of a Dictionary at Slate.com (2015) — Merriam-Webster is revising its most authoritative tome for the digital age. But in an era of twerking and trolling, what should a dictionary look like? (And do we even need one?)
What Does “Unabridged” Even Mean Anymore? at Slate.com (2015) — And four other questions Lexicon Valley’s Mike Vuolo asked Stefan Fatsis about his piece on the remaking of the Merriam-Webster dictionary
The History and Significance of Dictionaries at BooksTellYouWhy.com — Looking back at the history of language, it’s interesting to note that Noah Webster, the “Father of the American Dictionary,” came of age during the American Revolution. At that time, words had the power to define our national identity. Later, they had the power to reflect that new identity as it evolved. (Website)
The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary (2nd Edition) by Simon Winchester — In The Meaning of Everything, Simon Winchester celebrates this remarkable feat, and the fascinating characters who played such a vital part in its execution, from the colourful Frederick Furnivall, cheerful promoter of an all-female sculling crew, to James Murray, self-educated son of a draper, who spent half a century guiding the project towards fruition. (Publisher)
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (with a new introduction) by Simon Winchester — Masterfully researched and eloquently written, The Professor and the Madman is an extraordinary tale of madness, genius, and the incredible obsessions of two remarkable men that led to the making of the Oxford English Dictionary–one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. (Publisher)
Webster’s Dictionary or Merriam-Webster?
Webster’s Dictionary is any of the English language dictionaries edited in the early 19th century by Noah Webster (1758–1843), an American lexicographer, as well as numerous related or unrelated dictionaries that have adopted the Webster’s name in his honor. “Webster’s” has since become a genericized trademark in the United States for English dictionaries, and is widely used in dictionary titles. (Wikipedia)
Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is an American company that publishes reference books and is mostly known for its dictionaries. It is the oldest dictionary publisher in the United States. In 1831, George and Charles Merriam founded the company as G & C Merriam Co. in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1843, after Noah Webster died, the company bought the rights to An American Dictionary of the English Language from Webster’s estate. All Merriam-Webster dictionaries trace their lineage to this source. (Wikipedia)
Music
“Silent E” by Tom Lehrer (YouTube)
In English orthography, many words feature a silent ⟨e⟩ (single, final, non-syllabic ‘e’), most commonly at the end of a word or morpheme. Typically it represents a vowel sound that was formerly pronounced, but became silent in late Middle English or Early Modern English.
When the inflection disappeared in speech, but remained as a historical remnant in the spelling, this silent ⟨e⟩ was reinterpreted synchronically as a marker of the surviving sounds.
This can be seen in the vowels in word-pairs such as rid /rɪd/ and ride /raɪd/, in which the presence of the final, unpronounced ⟨e⟩ appears to alter the sound of the preceding ⟨i⟩. An example with consonants is the word-pair loath (loʊθ) and loathe (loʊð), where the ⟨e⟩ can be understood as a marker of a voiced ⟨th⟩. (Wikipedia)
Want more on the Silent E? Check out the history of The Great Vowel Shift!
Our most excellent theme song was created and produced by Arcontas Blank . Find Arcontas Blank on SoundCloud and Facebook
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Robert V Gallant
loving this – merci!
Bradley Weber
Thanks, Robert!