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Racist slurs, naughty words, and how dictionary editors define them
October 22, 2025
0:36:40
7.01 MB ( 28.18 MB less)
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How do we define slurs like the N-word? Whether it’s heated debates about racist or ableist slurs, arguments about gender, or even new kinds of profanity, dictionary editors have been at the center of these fights for a long time. We're joined by Stefan Fatsis, the author of Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary, for a deep dive on divisive words and how the word nerds at America's premier dictionary wrestle with what to do with them.
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