Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve
Be it mundane or marvelous, this is one of those books that provides a detailed celebration of aspects of language. Some are bizarre, others unusual and many perhaps unknown to the ordinary reader.
Its most striking feature is the range and number of entries. The editor, Joshua Blackburn, has produced a book which is brimful of fascinating and humorous entries on topics that may give, for example,100 Scottish words for rain or slang terms for food.
The Lexipedia is a treasure trove of information. It is one to give endless pleasure by the occasional delving into and thereby discovering a new word. One is advised that continuously reading it from cover to cover would be overwhelming, rather like drowning in a sea of information and words.
Some sceptics might question the use for these, often obscure and unused, words. Many others would point out that it is that delight in language and its origins itself which makes such a book worthwhile.
Obsolete Occupations are hilarious and a whole page is devoted to them….
A Hog Constable (1630s) was appointed to impound stray hogs and prevent any damage they might cause. A Dog Whipper (1590s) was an official who removed dogs from churches.
Funny Words is one of my favourite pair of pages. The explanation and history of what constitutes a funny word is accompanied by a list of 100. Two such gems are Cattywamous and Turdiform, both induced Spell Check to protest. They are amusing for their sound rather than meaning which isn’t given.
Mudballs were Victorian insults. Mountweazels are associated with dictionary plagiarism.
Some other topics touched upon are Fossil words, Farts, Eponyms, and Dord and other Ghost words.
The pages focussing on Dr Johnson and his monumental dictionary and witty memorable sayings are to be savoured. The section on Shakespeare and some of the possible 2,500 words attributed to him is yet another reason that makes the Lexipedia such a pleasure to explore.
The illustrations are a fine accompaniment to the text, but it is Joshua Blackburn’s staggering ability to summon so much fascinating material and compile a book that is bound to swallow up hours as a reader investigates the wondrous variety of the English language.
He is the inventor of the League of the Lexicon, one of the most successful word games ever. His pursuits in the linguistic field give him shining credentials in writing this Lexipedia, which has been hailed by such prominent wordsmiths as Stephen Fry and Lynne Truss.
Forget the Dictionary and instead spend some time enjoying the Lexipedia!
The Language-Lover’s Lexipedia
[2025]
by Joshua Blackburn
Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978 1 5266 8934 4
$34.99; 232pp
9781526689344