They Say / I Blog

In a word: Debbie Cameron on the role (and the power) of dictionaries

It might be fair to say that dictionaries generally operate in a kind of stealth mode—we probably don’t think about them too often, they’re seldom added to anyone’s wish list, and if there’s a big one in your house, it’s likely used more often as a booster seat for toddlers at the dinner table than as a reference work. Still, we often trust the dictionary to be the High Authority for settling bets or arguments, and even, sometimes, for helping with schoolwork. We trust the dictionary, and we rely on it, and we seldom question its judgment. But maybe we should. Linguist Debbie Cameron examines the problematic nature of the role of dictionaries in this July 2019 post on her blog, Language: A feminist guide.

Cameron, “Dissing the dictionary”

No app-etite: Christy Harrison on children and weight loss efforts

These days, there’s an app for everything—things you never thought you needed (and probably don’t). Christy Harrison, author and registered dietitian nutritionist, contends that Kurbo, a diet app for children, is not only unnecessary but downright harmful. In this August 2019 New York Times essay, she argues that trying to impose weight loss regimens on children is a really bad idea.

Harrison, “I help people recover from disordered eating. Don’t buy your children this app.”