058 - That The Dictionary is a Record, Not a Rulebook episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 8, 2024 · 10 MIN

058 - That The Dictionary is a Record, Not a Rulebook

from The Art of Noticing · host Johnny B. Truant

Today I learned that dictionaries don’t insist upon external “rules” of the words we use. Instead, they tell us how words are being used right now. They're more a snapshot of linguistic tendencies than arbiters of "correctness." The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that artists and writers should not feel confined by rules and standards. Instead, we can take inspiration from the evolving nature of language itself, innovating out side of rigid norms. WANT MORE?Members get extra episodes of the podcast, extra companion blog posts (see below), and more every week … all for the price of a fancy coffee. Learn about membership here.Prefer reading?Listening to the Art of Noticing podcast is only one way to get these lessons. Every episode of the podcast also has a complete companion blog post, all of which you can find here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnnybtruant.substack.com

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058 - That The Dictionary is a Record, Not a Rulebook

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This episode was published on January 8, 2024.

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Today I learned that dictionaries don’t insist upon external “rules” of the words we use. Instead, they tell us how words are being used right now. They're more a snapshot of linguistic tendencies than arbiters of "correctness." The creative lesson...

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