Merriam-Webster Lexicographer Kory Stamper will speak at Noah Webster’s birthplace in West Hartford.

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The birthplace of America’s first lexicographer, Noah Webster, will host author and modern-day lexicographer Kory Stamper on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 7 p.m. Stamper will present a talk on her debut book, Word by Word, followed by a Q&A session. The event is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

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Rave reviews for Word by Word appear in The Atlantic, Publishers Weekly, and The New York Times. All seem to agree: for language-lovers, Word by Word is a witty, irreverent exposé on the secret lives of lexicographers. As an editor at Merriam-Webster Inc., Kory Stamper writes, edits, and appears in the “Ask the Editor” video series. She blogs regularly on language and lexicography at www.korystamper.com, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times, and on Slate.com.

Noah Webster’s 1828 An American Dictionary of the English Language is the original source for today’s Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Webster’s magnum opus is considered to be the first truly American dictionary with 70,000 entries written and compiled by Webster himself. George and Charles Merriam purchased the rights to An American Dictionary shortly after Webster’s death in 1843. The Springfield-based brothers revolutionized what they called “Webster’s Dictionary” in 1864, when they hired a team of editors to work together to create the most comprehensive, accurate dictionary in American history.

Since that time, the work of dictionary writing has been accomplished by many editors. In her book Word by Word, Kory Stamper takes readers on a journey into the world of dictionary writing at a time when the English language is ever changing. Copies of Word by Word will be available for purchase at the museum the night of the event and Stamper will be signing copies.

The author talk with Kory Stamper will take place on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the NoahWebster House & West Hartford Historical Society, 227 South Main St., West Hartford, CT. This event is free to the public. Space for this program is extremely limited. Reservations are required and may be acquired at noahwebster.yapsody.com.

The museum would like to thank the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the Greater Hartford Arts Council for their continued support.

The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is a cultural destination where citizens can learn to understand and appreciate the past. The museum preserves the birthplace of Noah Webster, the founding father, educator, author, and lexicographer who taught generations of Americans what it means to be American. This National Historic Landmark is also a repository for the history of West Hartford, the community that molded Noah Webster’s future and is still thriving over 250 years later. The historic house and exhibit spaces are open daily 1 until 4 p.m.Please visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org or call (860) 521-5362 for information on the museum’s extensive school and public programs.