Peter Sokolowski
@petersokolowski.bsky.social
Dictionary ambassador, Merriam-Webster. Forthcoming book: "By Definition: The Surprising History of the English Dictionary" https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250347589/bydefinition/
I HAD NO IDEA! For people of a certain age -- my age -- this was one of the very funniest things ever seen on TV.
Howard Sherman@hesherman.bsky.social · 17h agoFarewell to costume designer Bob Mackie, a designer of spectacular gowns for great divas, but also the creator of perhaps the greatest costume sight gag in history.
from the peak of the period of cabinets of curiosities
Jesse Locker@jessemlocker.bsky.social · 17h agoFrom the Museum Chartaceum ("Paper Museum") commissioned by 17th-century scholar and patron Cassiano dal Pozzo: a selection of Corals, Patterned Stones, Asbestos, Fossils, Ivory, Ammonite and Hard Stone, 1620s (Windsor Castle, Royal Library)
The 18th century antiquarianism vibes are off the charts here— illicit, amateur dig? Yes. For a skeleton? Also yes. Which may or may not belong to a famous person, and from which select bones have been taken? Yes and yes. Also some high-quality Dutch “directness” in the quotes given
The New York Times@nytimes.com · 2d agoA retired archaeologist and his friends unearthed remains inside a Dutch church that may or may not belong to D’Artagnan, the French historical figure upon whom Alexandre Dumas based the main character in “The Three Musketeers.”
Pages from an early 19th-century children's alphabet, Marks's History of an Apple Pie, published in London between 1835 and 1857 archive.org/details/mark...
Happy birthday, Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683): His Treatise on Harmony revolutionized music theory with e.g. its concept of the fundamental bass. Appreciation & performance of his compositions revived in C20. As a student, I discovered him via an old LP
Rameau: Opernsuiten/Opera Suites
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Almost everyone in a library is existing as the best available version of themselves.
"a public strumpet" was Samuel Johnson's definition about 25% of Webster's big 1828 dictionary was from Johnson, but "a public strumpet, a mere hireling" is word-for-word from Entick's 1791 dictionary, primary source for Webster Entick was looking at Johnson's 'Dictionary'
Noah Webster's Dictionary Online - 1806, 1828@nwdictionary.bsky.social · 3d agoProstitute, n. a public strumpet, a mere hireling webstersdictionaryonline.com/1806/az/00269
Daycare and childcare are both now one word, no hyphen. We made those changes this spring when we updated health care to healthcare. apnews.com/article/chil...
https://apnews.com/article/childcare-assistance-daycare-cost-waitlist-2ceccc0e30baf7187857c968e631ba77
apnews.com
an amazing account of that day
Amanda Katz@katzish.bsky.social · 4d agoNEW in Porch Party: I was there on 9/11, more or less under the WTC. For those who lost loved ones or are still suffering health effects, the public commemoration can feel both overwhelming and deeply cynical—but the focus should stay on the real human losses www.porchpartynews.com/p/how-to-rem...
Oh wow finally. This show was such a pleasure-watch at a time when we really needed it
Dana Stevens@thehighsign.bsky.social · 5d agoCall My Agent! The Movie arrives 5 years after the French comedy series came to a confusingly abrupt end. Whether or not you've seen the show (which you should!), there's something irresistible in the movie's mix of tart satire & deep respect for creative work. Streaming on Netflix starting today.
TONIGHT! Catch me and my pals Ben Paterson and Kyle Swan at Le Piano Chicago, where we'll be playing as Ben's organ trio. Show starts at 7:00 PM. Grab your tickets via my Link in Bio and we'll see you soon.
• Your advance. • Editing costs • Design costs • Printing costs. • Distribution costs. • Marketing costs. There’s this thing called a contract which outlines exactly where that money goes and how much you’ll get for each copy sold once you’ve recouped your advance.
Simon Owens@simonowens.bsky.social · 5d ago“I realized that [my book] had sold over 200,000 copies. Let’s say they’re selling it for 20 bucks a copy—that’s $4 million. I don’t know where that $4 million went, but I know I didn’t get it.” SOURCE: on.substack.com/p/shea-serra...
Quatre mois qu'elle n'allait plus dormir dans sa "niche/caisse de transport". Une visite chez le veto et c'est à nouveau the spot de pout dormir. (Oui, syndrome de Stockholm tout ça)
super great for him! but the editors, printers, drivers, and booksellers also got paid out of that
Anne Trubek@atrubek.bsky.social · 5d agoI havent clicked through, but publishers get maybe 50% of retail (so 2 million, not 4), have to pay for printing (maybe 500k, huge ballpark), and shipping, and salaries, and distribution fees, and marketing, and publicity. I have a good sense of where the money not paid out in royalties went.
70 years ago today, one of the most famous records in jazz was recorded.
David Leheny@davidleheny.bsky.social · 5d agoJazz OTD: Miles Davis recorded his classic version of "Round Midnight" - one of the most memorable jazz tracks of all - on September 10, 1956, with John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), and Philly Joe Jones (d). Still perfect. #jazzsky
Not to brag, but our product has been foldable since 1828.
Culture Crave 🍿@culturecrave.co · 2y agoApple is aiming to release a foldable iPhone in 2026 📱 (via WSJ)
Hence, the humanities are attacked and dismissed when they employ many of the same communicative techniques - insider vocabulary, technical analysis - that garner respect when deployed in math and science communication.
In Portugal, 1732 the world's oldest bookstore first opened. So old that humans still believed the universe ended at Saturn. The Livraria Bertrand is a palace to books. Definitely on my bucket list! What about your bucket list places?
Our primary dictionary, Merriam-Webster, shows Hail Mary pass with Hail Mary capitalized, like the Roman Catholic prayer, and no hyphen.
Here is our draft definition of 'artificial intelligence' from 1981. It was written by a lovely human.
they need to use a better dictionary
Sam Adams@samadams.bsky.social · 7d agoso mad about this I may not even continue
I assure you “hegeNoMy” is not a variant pronunciation.
