The OED in the Global Age

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Revising the OED is no easy feat. Following a rare change in the dictionary’s leadership, Lorien Kite takes the opportunity to explore the implications of the most recent additions to the OED, the evolution of language, and the role of English on the international scene. The dictionary is faced with the task of tracing “the inexorable growth of English itself,” as Kite puts it.

As such, the OED finds itself in the curious position of being a national institution called upon, almost by default, to assume the role of a global one.

Serena Candelaria is a Rumpus intern, and a self-proclaimed fiction addict. This summer, she worked at 29th Street Publishing and began writing a novella. She is currently a senior at Yale, where she studies Literature. More from this author →