The pen is only mightier than the sword of course because of the words it wields. Words are power. They allow us to express our thoughts, our emotions and in some cases, to change the course of history.
So it stands to reason that we should care about recording and preserving them. Traditionally this has been the job of the dictionary - the lexicon. But as dictionaries themselves have moved online, are we in danger of losing the tangible definitions - are the hard or soft cover editions on our bookshelves or in our desk drawers likely to be the last of their kind?
Stefan Fatsis is a journalist, scrabble player and author of Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat To) the Modern Dictionary. He talks to Emile about his love of words - and lexicons.
Stefan Fatsis. Photo: Cindy Fatsis/Atlantic Monthly Press
