Sarah Ogilvie
Speaker:
Prof Sarah Ogilvie
Bio:
Sarah Ogilvie is Professor of Language and Lexicography at the University of Oxford. She is a linguist, lexicographer, and computer scientist who worked for many years as an editor on the Oxford English Dictionary. Her latest book is The Dictionary People: the unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary.
Topic:
Date:
11 March 2026
Time:
7:30pm – 9:00pm
Add to your calendar 11 March 2026 19:30 11 March 2026 21:00 Europe/London Lecture: Prof Sarah Ogilvie

Summary

What do three murderers, a Glasgow factory inspector, and Karl Marx’s daughter have in common? They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary. Begun in 1858, the OED has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. But the Dictionary didn’t just belong to the experts; it relied on contributions from members of the public and was one of the world’s first crowd-sourced projects. Sarah Ogilvie has discovered previously untapped archives to tell a people’s history of the OED. In this lecture, she tells the story of the making of one of the most famous books in the world – and celebrates the extraordinary efforts of the Dictionary People, the unsung heroes of the OED.

History

Venue: Sir Charles Wilson Building, University of Glasgow

Address: University of Glasgow, 1 University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ

- at the corner of University Avenue and Gibson Street.

This lecture theatre is very atmospheric, as you can see in the picture above. It has all modern facilities but retains many original features in a beautifully refurbished church building. There are good public transport links, free parking very close by in the University grounds from 5pm, plus nice places to eat or drink before the lecture if you want to make a night of it.

The venue has a hearing loop which can be accessed via a hearing aid. The best reception for the loop can be achieved by audience members sitting in one of the front six rows.

Join the Society

Membership brings free access to all talks as well as other benefits. After each talk you can meet the lecturer and other society members over a glass of wine.

MEMBERSHIP IS FREE FOR STUDENTS AND UNDER 25'S