Robert Burchfield - Desert Island Discs

What this episode covers

Robert Burchfield, who has been Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1957, was born in New Zealand. After fighting in Italy during the war, he came to England to complete his education and stayed on to be a lecturer at Oxford University. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and discusses the many problems associated with compiling dictionaries.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

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How long is this episode of Desert Island Discs?

This episode is 37 minutes long.

When was this Desert Island Discs episode published?

This episode was published on April 25, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Robert Burchfield, who has been Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1957, was born in New Zealand. After fighting in Italy during the war, he came to England to complete his education and stayed on to be a lecturer at Oxford...

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