The Dictionary as Data with Peter Sokolowski

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 | 6:30 p.m.

What makes a person look up a word? When do you use a dictionary? Looking up a word in the dictionary is an intimate act for each of us as individuals, but the words looked up by millions of users tell us a surprising story about the English language. Join Peter Sokolowski, Editor at Large with Merriam-Webster, Inc., for a surprisingly revealing discussion of how people use the dictionary and how that has changed over time.

Sokolowski has written definitions for many of Merriam-Webster’s dictionaries, is active as a blogger, podcaster, and speaker on language, and has served as pronouncer for spelling bees worldwide. He was named among TIME’s 140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2013.