Month: July 2016
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Designing the cover of the Australian National Dictionary second edition
As publication of the Australian National Dictionary second edition approaches, we thought we’d share the story behind the cover. We spoke to designer Sue Dani about her experience creating the covers for the dictionary. What was the brief you were given? The brief was very open, but key areas of consideration were that it had to reflect…
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Introduction to the Australian National Dictionary Second Edition: Part Two
Editor Bruce Moore, in his Introduction to the dictionary, describes the history and methodology of this significant work of Australian lexicography. We reproduce the first part of the Introduction here. Read Part One of the Introduction to the Australian National Dictionary second edition. History of the Editing In the early period of research for the…
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Introduction to the Australian National Dictionary Second Edition: Part One
Editor Bruce Moore, in his Introduction to the dictionary, describes the history and methodology of this significant work of Australian lexicography. We reproduce the first part of the Introduction here. The Australian National Dictionary (hereafter AND) is a dictionary based on historical principles, and it is therefore concerned with the way the words that make…
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Legacies of Politicians
Politicians as a species are known for their lyrical, and sometimes ludicrous, use of language. Australian politicians are no exception and our parliamentarians, senators, and even prime ministers have had a role in shaping Australian English. But pollies don’t deserve all the credit – in turn, they benefit from the relaxed banter that is typical…
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Oxford Word of the Month: July – Deso
noun: a person who abstains from alcohol at a social gathering so as to be fit to drive others home; a designated driver. In 2012 the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in Victoria ran a competition, Make A Film, Make A Difference, which asked people aged 25 or under to come up with an idea for…