The Language-Lover’s Lexipedia: An A-Z of Linguistic Curiosities by Joshua Blackburn

If you’ve ever opened a dictionary ‘just for a minute’ and resurfaced an hour later in a completely different part of the alphabet, The Language-Lover’s Lexipedia understands you. This is not a book you read in a straight line: it is part encyclopedia and part cabinet of curiosities.

Like a lucky dip, The Language-Lover’s Lexipedia serves up brilliantly random entry points. There’s the logic behind Ikea product names, the craftsmanship of Scottish insults, tongue twisters, non-apologies, obsolete occupations and more. The joy is in the range, and the equal respect of serious linguistic history and pointless trivia. This is exactly what makes it so readable.

“It could have been different. It could have been structured, themed and chaptered: etymology here, linguistics there, history of language at the front, slang skulking at the back. But that didn’t feel right. Words and language create a web of unexpected connections. Start pulling on a thread and there’s no saying where it’ll end. Except of course, it never does,” says Joshua.

“So read the Lexipedia from front to back if you wish. Or diagonally, obliquely, occasionally or carelessly. Every entry points to other entries, so after exploring one rabbit hole there’s always another to dive down. See where they lead you.”

What really elevates The Language-Lover’s Lexipedia is its considered design, including hand-drawn illustrations by Caroline Church. It’s a rare reference-style book that behaves like a narrative, because curiosity becomes the plot. It is also witty and warmly written, despite being meticulously researched. 

The Language-Lover’s Lexipedia will delight etymology enthusiasts, crossword solvers and anyone who enjoys clever wordplay. It’s also a great fit for readers who prefer non-fiction in bite-sized bursts, as each entry offers an instant hit of curiosity with plenty of satisfying tangents to follow. It’s ideal for writers, teachers, editors, librarians and language lovers, literally anyone who can’t resist a fascinating fact, a strange phrase, or the story behind why we say what we say.

Joshua Blackburn is the inventor of the League of the Lexicon word game. It was created during the pandemic lockdown as he was helping his kids with English homework. As an antidote to dull homework, he invented games to encourage their curiosity.

Reviewer: Andrea Molloy

Bloomsbury