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Unstuffy dictionary

NZPA-Reuter London Acidheads, freedom fighters, gumshoes, and crumpet — in its non-teacake sense — are about to find their way on to the dusty shelves of reference libraries. The Collins English Dictionary, to be published next week, promises to revolutionise the traditionally stuffy world of lexicography with such entries as “letch after” (informal verb, to behave lecherously towards).

The dictionary, the first work of this size since the Shorter English Dictionary came out 45 years ago, has taken 10 years to prepare and is the work of 100 people and two computers. The names of famous people are also included — Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, and Kevin Keegan among them, The old-fashioned English bobby is now brought up to date as a ‘'pig’’’ or a member of the “fuzz.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19790828.2.64.5

Bibliographic details

Press, 28 August 1979, Page 8

Word Count
128

Unstuffy dictionary Press, 28 August 1979, Page 8

Unstuffy dictionary Press, 28 August 1979, Page 8