Erin McKean - Lexicography and mindshifting

The great institutions of modernity are confronting the new realities of a digitalage.

Modern architecture and the idea of the master architect was born during the Renaissance. Construction is a combination of industrial era assembly and ancient craft practices. Technology has since introduced many significant innovations leading to greater efficiencies but has not changed the paradigm.

Please take a moment and listen to Erin McKean's presentation at the TED conference. You can find the video at the bottom of this blog. I found interesting and entertaining parallels to the disruptive changes in this arcane discipline and mindshift. Erin is the Chief Lexicographer and dictionary evangelist, for the Oxford English Dictionary. Her insights are wonderful (as well as few audacious words to add to your vocabulary). Listen and note her flatfooted critique of her own domain; the by-product of some excellent therapy or she is a Jim Collin's Level 5 leader.

These are a few highlights:

• I love the Electric Velocipede analogy; "Victorian design with modern propulsion."
  
• "Blaming the ham that's bigger than the pan."
• "Could paper be the enemy of words?" Hmm - could paper be the enemy of design?
• "Artificial constraints lead to arbitrary distinctions and a skewed worldview."

We're not alone. The OED is undergoing a mindshift. We're in noble company.