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September 2007

Summer TOP TWENTY

Word.com resumes publication this month after its usual summer hiatus, and we are confronted with a new word as the most frequently looked-up word on Merriam-Webster Online over the summer months — awkward. And no, we don't know why people are looking it up. But here is the rest of the list and some observations on other newcomers.

Looking Back: 1997

This season's commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the death of Princess Diana has prompted commentaries and recollections from many, and by now probably enough has been said. However, the event holds a particular significance in the history of Merriam-Webster Online, and this would seem the moment to tell the story.

Word History of the Month: quixotic

We're not sure why the word quixotic has been exciting so much interest. It may have got something to do with Congressman Duncan Hunter, whose presidential campaign is often characterized as quixotic. But we do know quixotic has been part of the language for nearly three centuries, and we know its novel beginning and its quirky pronunciation.

Report from the Open Dictionary

Over the summer months, visitors to Merriam-Webster Online continued to enjoy making contributions to the Open Dictionary, a feature that allows users to submit their coinages and recent new-word discoveries. In this month's newsletter, we share some of our favorite submissions.

Notable Quotable: William Faulkner

With the new school year upon us, literature students will once again be delving into the novels of American writer William Faulkner, born September 25, 1897. The Pulitzer Prize winner is known for his powerful use of language. He is quoted at more than seven dozen entries in the Unabridged Dictionary, and we've pulled out a few favorites.

Just Foolin' Around

Although ratatouille didn't break into the Top Twenty list this summer, it did rank high for a while, probably because of the hit animated movie of that same name. Ratatouille comes from the French and it refers to a stew made of eggplant, tomatoes, green peppers, squash, and sometimes meat and seasoned with garlic and other condiments. Sounds good? Read on.

From the Mail Server

Things have been lively at the editorial desk this summer. One reader wrote in seeking the distinction between vim and vigor and another was curious about why we use the term coriander rather than the seemingly more logical cilantro seeds. Finally, a fellow racking his brain for the name of the word for a flourish under a signature asked not only for the word, but for the way we arrived at the answer.

In Case You Were Wondering

Although it didn't crack the Top 20, the word endeavor has been getting plenty of look-ups this summer, perhaps because many folks were checking that spelling against that of the space shuttle Endeavour. Why does the modern American space shuttle have an old-fashioned, British spelling? Blame it on tradition.

Language Links

After pundit Bill O'Reilly cautioned viewers not to be Pecksniffian in their comments, the adjective Pecksniffian rose in the rankings of the most looked-up words. Those looking for the origin of the word learned that it came from the name of a character, Seth Pecksniff, in the novel Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens. If you're interested in other words based on names of people or characters, try these sites.