The Language-Lover's Lexipedia: An A-Z of Linguistic Curiosities - Hardcover

Blackburn, Joshua

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1668098849 ISBN 13: 9781668098844

Publisher: Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 2025

Synopsis

Dreyer's English meets Schott's Original Miscellany in this delicious tour of the lesser-known wonders of the language world, perfect for language lovers, word nerds, and the incurably curious.

A delightful rollick through language unlike any you've ever experienced. As the inventor of the bestselling game about words, League of the Lexicon, Joshua Blackburn has created an A-Z that's part-encyclopedia, part-treasure map, and an all-around joy for anyone interested in words and language. Meticulously researched, joyfully written, and beautifully designed, The Language-Lover's Lexipedia dives into the quirky, the curious, and the unexpected to reveal a world of language you never knew existed.

Discover the biting humor of Scottish insults (you're talking mince), the curious history of the Chinese typewriter, and the strange yet vivid color names of Elizabethan England--like "dead Spaniard" and "lusty gallant." Whether it's the dark history of the Index of Banned Books or the bewildering grammar of Yoda, each pithy entry is brimming with knowledge and wit. Illustrated with enchanting line art that evokes a 19th-century reference book, The Language-Lover's Lexipedia is as visually delightful as it is intellectually captivating. It's stuffed with quirky lists, surprising facts, and illuminating stories, making it the ultimate gift for any language lover. Want to uncover the secret of Ikea product names? Decode the euphemisms of Victorian England? Or understand why pedants are pedantic? This book has you covered--and then some.

Blackburn's infectious enthusiasm turns linguistic oddities into pure entertainment and offers up endless rabbit holes to dive down, with each thoughtful entry promising to charm, educate, and tickle. From the linguistic history of marijuana to the origins of nonsense, The Language-Lover's Lexipedia is a must-read for anyone who revels in the beauty, humor, and sheer weirdness of language.

About this title

About the Author

Joshua Blackburn is a writer and photographer. He's also the inventor of the most successful word game in Kickstarter history, League of the Lexicon. His previous books include the award-winning Acme Climate Action and Launderama, a photography book that beautifully documents London's last remaining launderettes. Joshua created League of the Lexicon for his two sons during Covid lockdown and was the game's most prolific question writer. He has since become an accidental linguist, appearing on podcasts like The Allusionist, Because Language, The Failing Writers, and Butter No Parsnips. He lives in London with his family, a neurotic cat, and an overly large taxidermy collection.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Language; words; word game; lexicon; diction; connotation; linguistics; language; etymology; mnemonics; speech; Old English; archaic words; slang; quotations; insults; oxymorons; usage; punctuation; euphemisms; humor; jokes; line art; gift; holiday gift list; compendium; language lover; logophiles; curiosity; endangered languages; whimsical; fun facts; emojis; typography

Edition details

• Publisher: Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1668098849
• ISBN 13: 9781668098844
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240