Sci-Fi Geekery and Word Nerdery Unite in the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
If you’re into sci-fi terminology, there’s a new website that should be right up your alley. Yesterday, lexicographer Jesse Sheidlower launched the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction, which documents not just the meanings but the origins, contexts, and evolution of some 1,800 words and phrases related to the genre. The New York Times notes that for more than 400 of those, it details first appearances that date back earlier than previously claimed.
The site grew out of a project started during Sheidlower’s tenure at the Oxford English Dictionary, which ended in 2013. In addition to the OED, he has also been an editor for Random House Dictionaries (where he was project editor for the Historical Dictionary of American Slang) and the president of the American Dialect Society. You can visit the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction at sfdictionary.com and follow Sheidlower on Twitter at @jessesheidlower.
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About the Author
Madeleine Vasaly
Madeleine is Twin Cities Geek's co-head and senior editor, managing the editorial team and running the organization with editor-in-chief Hal Bichel. She's also a freelance editor, proofreader, and publishing consultant and the author of The Proofreader's Guide to Comic Book Style.
