Jesse Sheidlower
@jessesword.com
Lexicographer. The F-Word (new edition Nov. ’24!), sfdictionary.com, ex-OED, coder (mainly Perl and Python), Threesome Tollbooth #cocktail bar manager, adjunct @ Columbia.
Pinned
Jesse Sheidlower
@jessesword.com
· Oct 22
News: the 4th edition of The F-Word is coming out in two weeks from Oxford UP! Everything you could want to know about the word _fuck_.
This is a major revision: 500 pages with 150 new entries, 150 antedatings, & 2,500 new quotations. See link below for more info!
jessesword.com/fword.html
This is a major revision: 500 pages with 150 new entries, 150 antedatings, & 2,500 new quotations. See link below for more info!
jessesword.com/fword.html
Today's random #AI email:
"Dear Mr. Sheidlower: I recall hearing a segment on NPR about 20 years ago by an author reconciling with his father…An AI search seems to think that you're the guy….I've done my due diligence…but I can't find a link. If you're not the author, please let me know."
"Dear Mr. Sheidlower: I recall hearing a segment on NPR about 20 years ago by an author reconciling with his father…An AI search seems to think that you're the guy….I've done my due diligence…but I can't find a link. If you're not the author, please let me know."
November 25, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Today's random #AI email:
"Dear Mr. Sheidlower: I recall hearing a segment on NPR about 20 years ago by an author reconciling with his father…An AI search seems to think that you're the guy….I've done my due diligence…but I can't find a link. If you're not the author, please let me know."
"Dear Mr. Sheidlower: I recall hearing a segment on NPR about 20 years ago by an author reconciling with his father…An AI search seems to think that you're the guy….I've done my due diligence…but I can't find a link. If you're not the author, please let me know."
Shibboleth question: I had somewhere in my head that there was a prescriptivist ban against using _banister_ to mean 'handrail'; rather it should only be used to refer to a handrail w/ its supporting structure. But I can't quickly find anyone complaining about this. Anyone know what I'm thinking of?
November 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Shibboleth question: I had somewhere in my head that there was a prescriptivist ban against using _banister_ to mean 'handrail'; rather it should only be used to refer to a handrail w/ its supporting structure. But I can't quickly find anyone complaining about this. Anyone know what I'm thinking of?
I generally don't like "The simple old ways were better" articles, but this is lovely.
(Looks like two copies of Marcin Wichary's _Shift Happens_ visible in the first picture.)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
(Looks like two copies of Marcin Wichary's _Shift Happens_ visible in the first picture.)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
How to Fix a Typewriter and Your Life
This is the story of how a man traded steady, grinding corporate security for a dying craft and, in the process, found his soul.
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I generally don't like "The simple old ways were better" articles, but this is lovely.
(Looks like two copies of Marcin Wichary's _Shift Happens_ visible in the first picture.)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
(Looks like two copies of Marcin Wichary's _Shift Happens_ visible in the first picture.)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
Please refrain from giving a f#@&.
ht @jessesword.com @mashedradish.bsky.social @schrisomalis.bsky.social
fritinancy.substack.com/p/give-an-elf
ht @jessesword.com @mashedradish.bsky.social @schrisomalis.bsky.social
fritinancy.substack.com/p/give-an-elf
"Give an e.l.f."
No short-statured Santa's helpers were donated in the making of a beauty brand's ad campaign, but some old lines were coyly crossed.
fritinancy.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Please refrain from giving a f#@&.
ht @jessesword.com @mashedradish.bsky.social @schrisomalis.bsky.social
fritinancy.substack.com/p/give-an-elf
ht @jessesword.com @mashedradish.bsky.social @schrisomalis.bsky.social
fritinancy.substack.com/p/give-an-elf
Today in cybersecurity: After I told a representative of a multibillion-dollar company that I did not consent for any personal information to be sent via email, they replied that their emails "will be transmitted securely if we type ENCRPYT in the subject line", and OMG I CANNOT EVEN.
November 19, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Today in cybersecurity: After I told a representative of a multibillion-dollar company that I did not consent for any personal information to be sent via email, they replied that their emails "will be transmitted securely if we type ENCRPYT in the subject line", and OMG I CANNOT EVEN.
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
The next of the Big English Dictionary #WotY2025 is Cambridge's 'parasocial'
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Parasocial is named as Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year
Examples include the parasocial interest shown by fans to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement.
www.bbc.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:22 PM
The next of the Big English Dictionary #WotY2025 is Cambridge's 'parasocial'
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Confused and terrified to find my name in here; relieved to discover that it's some footnote about linguistic corpus analysis.
Want to look through Jeffrey Epstein’s documents yourself?
We published a searchable database of the entire set of new Epstein files and emails.
Despite Trump saying this is a scam, Trump is mentioned more than anyone else. Search for yourself here: journaliststudio.google.com/pinpoint/sea...
We published a searchable database of the entire set of new Epstein files and emails.
Despite Trump saying this is a scam, Trump is mentioned more than anyone else. Search for yourself here: journaliststudio.google.com/pinpoint/sea...
November 14, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Confused and terrified to find my name in here; relieved to discover that it's some footnote about linguistic corpus analysis.
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
Wrote about the past and present of Word of the Year for @lithub.com.web.brid.gy. Some 2025 candidates in the piece: "Kavanaugh stop," "Coldplayed," "broligarchy," "amphipha," "chopped unc," and the hard-charging "Trumpstein files" #wordoftheyear
Choosing the Word of the Year is No Easy Feat
Thirty-five years ago, the late English professor Allan Metcalf had an idea. “I was thinking that Time magazine has its Person of the Year,” he told me, “and why can’t we do for words what Time did…
lithub.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Wrote about the past and present of Word of the Year for @lithub.com.web.brid.gy. Some 2025 candidates in the piece: "Kavanaugh stop," "Coldplayed," "broligarchy," "amphipha," "chopped unc," and the hard-charging "Trumpstein files" #wordoftheyear
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
On Facebook, @straczynski.bsky.social posted pictures of Harlan Ellison's house. Keen-eyed observers will note that among the reference books around his desk can be found the Historical #Dictionary of American Slang (including two copies of volume 2).
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
November 12, 2025 at 3:07 AM
On Facebook, @straczynski.bsky.social posted pictures of Harlan Ellison's house. Keen-eyed observers will note that among the reference books around his desk can be found the Historical #Dictionary of American Slang (including two copies of volume 2).
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
On Facebook, @straczynski.bsky.social posted pictures of Harlan Ellison's house. Keen-eyed observers will note that among the reference books around his desk can be found the Historical #Dictionary of American Slang (including two copies of volume 2).
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
November 12, 2025 at 3:07 AM
On Facebook, @straczynski.bsky.social posted pictures of Harlan Ellison's house. Keen-eyed observers will note that among the reference books around his desk can be found the Historical #Dictionary of American Slang (including two copies of volume 2).
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
www.facebook.com/groups/45866...
Happy Corduroy Appreciate Day to all who celebrate! 11/11, the date most resembling corduroy!
November 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Happy Corduroy Appreciate Day to all who celebrate! 11/11, the date most resembling corduroy!
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
Today is the publication day for WITHOUT CONSENT, a book I am so proud to share with the world, and that the New York Times Book Review says "is years — decades — overdue."
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
November 11, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Today is the publication day for WITHOUT CONSENT, a book I am so proud to share with the world, and that the New York Times Book Review says "is years — decades — overdue."
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
Happy There Is A Circulatory System Walking Through The Kitchen Day to all who celebrate.
November 10, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Happy There Is A Circulatory System Walking Through The Kitchen Day to all who celebrate.
OK, Pluribus is awesome and I cannot wait to watch the rest of it.
November 9, 2025 at 1:43 AM
OK, Pluribus is awesome and I cannot wait to watch the rest of it.
My sense of what words might count as "common" vocabulary is, I think, rather different from most people's. Still: is the word _rudder_ really something that anyone needs to have explained?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
November 8, 2025 at 2:46 PM
My sense of what words might count as "common" vocabulary is, I think, rather different from most people's. Still: is the word _rudder_ really something that anyone needs to have explained?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
This seems like a SLIGHT overreaction to some British children saying the word "candy"
November 8, 2025 at 1:46 AM
This seems like a SLIGHT overreaction to some British children saying the word "candy"
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
The second of the English dictionary #WotY2025 is out. Collins has gone for 'vibe coding'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Vibe coding' named word of the year by Collins Dictionary
The art of making an app by describing it to artificial intelligence (AI) tops 10 new terms on the shortlist.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 3:55 PM
The second of the English dictionary #WotY2025 is out. Collins has gone for 'vibe coding'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
With the assault-by-sub-sandwich trial in progress here's a re-up of my post, "Is a sandwich a weapon? And if so, does it enjoy constitutional protection?" blogs.illinois.edu/view/25
Is a sandwich a weapon? And if so, does it enjoy constitutional protection?
blogs.illinois.edu
November 6, 2025 at 1:27 AM
With the assault-by-sub-sandwich trial in progress here's a re-up of my post, "Is a sandwich a weapon? And if so, does it enjoy constitutional protection?" blogs.illinois.edu/view/25
Remembered to buy tickets to GlobalFEST; last year I left it too late and missed out.
www.lincolncenter.org/series/linco...
cc @activecultures.bsky.social
www.lincolncenter.org/series/linco...
cc @activecultures.bsky.social
globalFEST · Lincoln Center
The cultural catalysts at globalFEST have been promoting the world's greatest musical traditions for over 20 years. This annual festival features an eclectic array of…
www.lincolncenter.org
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Remembered to buy tickets to GlobalFEST; last year I left it too late and missed out.
www.lincolncenter.org/series/linco...
cc @activecultures.bsky.social
www.lincolncenter.org/series/linco...
cc @activecultures.bsky.social
In case you haven't done this yet, you should donate and get the great first issue! It has terrific pieces by @korystamper.bsky.social, @emckean.bsky.social, and even people I don't know!
We're so close—help us get over the finish line!
Support refugees. Get a magazine.
Nick Norlen’s Paper Airplane is raising $10K for USCRI—and we’re just $2,500 away.
Donate now and get the debut issue FREE: PaperAirplane.pub
Nick Norlen’s Paper Airplane is raising $10K for USCRI—and we’re just $2,500 away.
Donate now and get the debut issue FREE: PaperAirplane.pub
November 4, 2025 at 2:52 PM
In case you haven't done this yet, you should donate and get the great first issue! It has terrific pieces by @korystamper.bsky.social, @emckean.bsky.social, and even people I don't know!
Reposted by Jesse Sheidlower
Plunging headlong into the 21st Century, we are now on Bluesky. You can still follow us on the platform formerly known as Twitter @IrishTextsSoc and our website irishtextssociety.org
Irish Texts Society
This is the website of the Irish Texts Society which contains information about the Society, news, events and publications.
irishtextssociety.org
November 3, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Plunging headlong into the 21st Century, we are now on Bluesky. You can still follow us on the platform formerly known as Twitter @IrishTextsSoc and our website irishtextssociety.org
This weekend's sourdough effort. Looked and tasted pretty great, but I probably overproofed it a bit.
November 3, 2025 at 1:58 PM
This weekend's sourdough effort. Looked and tasted pretty great, but I probably overproofed it a bit.
Got that taken care of. 5m.
November 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Got that taken care of. 5m.
I was looking at a charity event based in German-speaking countries, for which they're using the hashtag #kinderlachenschenker, and they give the English version as #childrenslaughtergiver, and—oh dear. I don't think the alternate reading is something they're looking for.
October 31, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I was looking at a charity event based in German-speaking countries, for which they're using the hashtag #kinderlachenschenker, and they give the English version as #childrenslaughtergiver, and—oh dear. I don't think the alternate reading is something they're looking for.