What makes a word “real”?

This TED Talk will improve our understanding of the way language works and our view of dictionaries. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and it’s a good 17 minutes spent.

Language change, according to language historian and English professor Anne Curzan (emphasis mine): "The language is not going to change so fast that we can’t keep up; language just doesn’t work that way. I hope that what you can do is find language change not worrisome, but fun and fascinating, just the way dictionary editors do. I hope you can enjoy being part of the creativity that is continually remaking our language and keeping it robust."

• Read also: 20 words that once meant something very different

• Watch also: Slang School