Racist slurs, naughty words, and how dictionary editors define them

How do we define slurs like the N-word? Whether it’s heated debates about racist or ableist slurs, arguments about gender, or even new kinds of profanity, dictionary editors have been at the center of these fights for a long time. We're joined by Stefan Fatsis, the author of Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary, for a deep dive on divisive words and how the word nerds at America's premier dictionary wrestle with what to do with them.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy