This section contains a collection of word biographies. I use the term ‘biography’ because, despite their patterned nature, words also tend to develop their own idiosyncratic features. The analogy to human biography – recognisably human, yet uniquely (in a DNA sense) individual – seems apt. Over time and through particular circumstances, words accrue their own habits of use (we might say ‘baggage’ if we wanted to move towards another metaphor). The biographies portrayed here were chosen relatively randomly because any word would probably lend itself to the same style of scrutiny. In each case, a word or phrase, seemingly straightforward and innocuous, is the centre of attention, and the exploration follows various pathways – semantic, etymological, grammatical and pragmatic. As will become evident, to be of service, dictionaries worth their mustard must reflect popular and current usage, while also providing historical information. It is in the daily marketplace of language use, messy as it is, that words work, and their meaning must always be calibrated against their context of use.

Aspirational

When I was a kid there was no Turkish bread, pittas, bagels or focaccia. You didn't eat rocket, artichokes, eggplants or sun-dried tomatoes. Cheese meant Kraft and there were no goats involved. Roast veggies were potatoes plus pumpkin. Forget kumara.

Language, too, has changed. We now have the word ‘aspirational’ which until recently I'd never encountered. Now it's everywhere.