Sarah Ogilvie: The Dictionary People

What do three murderers, Karl Marx’s daughter and a vegetarian vicar have in common? They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary. 

Sarah Ogilvie’s The Dictionary People dives deep into previously untapped archives to tell a people’s history of one of the world’s most famous books, which has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. Sarah traces the lives of thousands of contributors – from eccentric autodidacts to families that made word collecting their passion – who defined the English language.

Indulge your word nerdery with this world-leading linguist and lexicographer in conversation with host Phillipa McGuinness.