I know the best words

What makes a word worthy of the dictionary? Who decides when new words should be added? What happens when AI joins the conversation?

Join Executive Editor for Oxford Languages Dr Danica Salazar and linguist Daniel Midgley as they explore the fascinating world of dictionaries. From documenting the many varieties of English spoken around the globe to the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, this conversation will uncover how dictionaries are created, why they matter, and how they continue to evolve alongside the language they record.

Whether you're a word enthusiast, a curious reader, or someone who has ever ended Scrabble by yelling 'look it up!', this enlightening and entertaining event will offer fresh insights into the past, present and future of the English language.

Presented in partnership with The University of Western Australia's Institute of Advanced Studies, UWA Language Lab and the State Library of Western Australia.

Speakers

Dr Danica Salazar

Dr Danica Salazar

Dr Danica Salazar is Executive Editor for Oxford Languages, where she leads editorial projects for world varieties of English. She also researches and writes World English entries for the Oxford English Dictionary, and represents the dictionary in lectures and conferences, as well as in international print and broadcast media. She publishes and lectures regularly on lexicography, World Englishes, and Spanish- and English-language teaching. Prior to joining Oxford University Press, she was the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in English Language Lexicography at the English Faculty and Hertford College of the University of Oxford.

Daniel Midgley

Daniel Midgley is a linguist, author, and science communicator. He’s a presenter on the Because Language podcast, along with co-presenters Ben Ainslie and Hedvig Skirgård. He can be also heard talking about language on the Speakeasy on ABC Radio Perth. Daniel has taught linguistics at The University of Western Australia and at Edith Cowan University.