Susie Dent

That woman in Dictionary Corner. @susiedent.bsky.social

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

I’ve recently launched a newsletter on language and its origins. Today’s post is on the expressions in English that make no sense at all. Why can’t we have our cake and eat it too: isn’t that why we choose cake in the first place?

The link to the newsletter is in this thread should you fancy a read.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

You can read it here:
https://t.co/YTLyCP451O

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

I’ve written a short piece on words that wear their hearts on their sleeves. Like ‘secretary’: literally a keeper of secrets.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

https://t.co/Pw7UxJ9Lfm

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

I’ve recently launched a newsletter on language and its origins. Today’s post is on the expressions in English that make no sense at all. Why can’t we have our cake and eat it too: isn’t that why we choose cake in the first place?

The link to the newsletter is in this thread should you fancy a read.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Have you ever wondered whether lexicographers occasionally make stuff up?

https://t.co/2PqoEw85un

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

I’ve just launched a Substack for anyone who fancies being part of a word community. My first free post is out now.

https://t.co/aeiQgBHrM5

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Always a pleasure to work with indie booksellers and Simon is one of the best. We’re offering personal dedications when you order my second Clarendon Lexicographers mystery from the Big Green Bookshop.

[Big Green Bookshop @Biggreenbooks]

Order a SIGNED & DEDICATED copy of "Death Writ Large", Susie Dent's @susie_dent new murder mystery.

Linguistic shenanigans abound!

Susie's very kindly agreed to do this for anyone who orders from us!

It's published in August.

Order HERE!

https://t.co/4PRtWCYVad

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Word of the Day is ‘swullocking’: swelteringly, stiflingly hot.

From 19th-century East Anglian dialect.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Flipping Letters #26 2/5
🔥 Streak: 4

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

If you fancy a new daily puzzle, the makers of my game Two Words have created Flipping Letters. Safe to say I’m hooked already.

https://t.co/zuKtz4a7yJ

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

@lumsdengolf Yes there should be next year Craig, and I’m hoping to do some book-signings there in September too.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Delighted to say we’re adding some more dates to the second half of the year for my Word Perfect tour. Thanks to everyone who’s joined me so far for my romp through the joys and eccentricities of language. I’m having a blast and hope you will too.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

@spacechimp1968 Those are the ‘mubble-fubbles’ (16th century).

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

A question: what are the things you wish there was a word for? And have you come up with your own word to fill that gap?

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

@fletcher_biceps We have more on the way!

[Merriam-Webster @MerriamWebster]

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words, which feels a bit passive-aggressive.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Word of the Day is ‘frobly-mobly’, meaning ��indifferently well’ - essentially the 19th-century version of ‘meh’. 

This year’s Hay Festival looks set to banish all frobly-mobliness.
@hayfestival

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

For anyone interested in language and linguistics, magazines don’t come better than this.

[Babel: The Language Magazine @Babelzine]

Babel's Spring issue - Ethnologue, presidents' speeches, people who sound 'different', and much more...

Available now for digital readers at https://t.co/CXQzWrkCyf

Print copies posted w/b 13 April

Subscribe at https://t.co/2C4cvBBGdh

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

I love what @HearingDogs are doing with this campaign - celebrating the joy, connection and community that comes with volunteering.   If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now’s the time. Join the Best Club. Ever… and there's puppies!

[Hearing Dogs for Deaf People @HearingDogs]

Join the Best Club. Ever. Become a Hearing Dogs volunteer 🐾

From being part of a close-knit community, to learning new skills, your contribution will not only improve the lives of people with hearing loss, it will change your life too.

Find out more > https://t.co/cMc5oGf0So

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Delighted to announce this.

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

As an aside, an unspoken rule in English known as ‘ablaut reduplication’ means we never dally-dilly on the way to a game of pong-ping while the bells go dong-ding. Nor, sadly, do we ever eat a KatKit.