People say to me, ‘How do I know if a word is real?’ You know, anybody who’s read a children’s book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it. That makes it real.

This quote is from dictionary editor Erin McKean's 2007 TED Talk about how today's print dictionary is poised to change. In this quote, McKean is saying that contrary to what most people believe, all words are "real"; if you like a word enough to use it, then it is real, regardless of whether it is in the dictionary. McKean goes on to say, "Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction. It doesn't make a word any more real than any other way." Watch the full TED Talk here: Erin McKean - The Joy of Lexicography

“The Joy of Lexicography.” TED2007. March 2007. Conference Presentation.