Word play: An interview with ‘Britain’s most famous lexicographer’ Susie Dent

From compiling dictionaries at Oxford University Press to a 30+ year residency on Channel 4’s Countdown (and its 8 out of 10 Cats spin-off), Susie Dent’s career has been anything but traditional.

Known as ‘Britain’s most famous lexicographer’ and ‘the Queen of Countdown’, her idiosyncratic CV includes several books on etymology, a role as presenter of the podcast Something Rhymes with Purple with Gyles Brandreth, and now her latest project and debut novel, Guilty By Definition, which she’ll be discussing at the Bath Literature Festival this month.

We asked Susie about her new book, her surprising media career, and her love of words, ahead of her visit to the city…

Q. You’ve written several books before, but your latest is your first work of fiction. What made you want to write it?

When I was around eight or nine, I entered a short story competition at school. I can’t remember too much about it, but I know that it involved a breathless chase through a dark forest by something monstrous and unknown, and that I called it Pursuit. It ended up being included in the school magazine: something my parents were particularly proud of! But that was to be my last attempt at fiction for decades, because soon after I became hopelessly lost in the magic and the drama of the dictionary. I may have stayed there forever were it not for my editor Kelly, who convinced me that fiction might be calling again. Coming back to storytelling now reminds me of the pleasure I took in being lost in a different world, with the freedom to decide how I wanted it to evolve.

Q. Guilty By Definition is a murder mystery. Were there any parallels between the puzzle-solving nature of lexicography and etymology and your story?

Lexicographers and etymologists speak of gathering ‘evidence’ and looking for ‘clues’ as to the origins of words and phrases, so I’ve always been struck by the parallels between word detection and the criminal kind. In each job we are digging below the surface, sifting through layers to arrive at the truth. There is also the truth that even the most innocent of words may have a dark side – take the word ‘thrill’, which originally meant to ‘pierce with a sword’ before it moved to mean piercing with excitement. I thought it might be interesting to explore the dark side of the people that chart those words, too. What if their own stories are as deeply buried as those of the words they describe? It was this theme of secret lives which really drew me to the idea of writing a linguistic mystery.

Q. The story is about a group of lexicographers, like you. Is there a typical dynamic between lexicographers? Do you see yourself in your characters?

Lexicographers are of course united by one thing: an intense curiosity for the words around us and how they are used. We look at the words that are bubbling under, those that have broken through and are enjoying their moment in the sun, and those that are drifting out of use. It’s always fun to discuss these topics with colleagues, though of course a lot of dictionary-making is done in silence! Much of our work involves studying electronic evidence of language in use, so sometimes the only sound you can hear is the insistent humming of computers. But get a group of lexicographers together and you will have as broad a cross-section of life – and as animated a conversation – as you would get anywhere.

Whenever I am introduced as ‘our favourite lexicographer’ I always respond with ‘How many do you know?!’

Q. What is it about language and lexicons that is so fascinating?

I’ve loved vocabulary books and dictionaries since I was very little, immersing myself in French and German glossaries and finding them as exciting as any novel! They offer endless possibilities for the imagination. I’ve also become pretty adept at eavesdropping: tuning in to conversations and picking up new words or the latest slang which I will jot down in my notebook. Sometimes you can pick up on hilarious mistakes too, as I did at a business conference conversation in which one person referred to another as ‘the head poncho’. And of course lexicography is all about defining things. Definition is such an important factor in our lives: we are each constantly defining and redefining ourselves, just as dictionaries define our words.

Q. You are known as ‘Britain’s most famous lexicographer’. When you started doing Countdown, did you expect to become a public figure and how do you feel about being so recognisable?

Whenever I am introduced as ‘our favourite lexicographer’ or similar I always respond with ‘How many do you know?!’. But I am thrilled to have been able to bring our love of language into focus: we all care passionately about our words, even if we don’t realise it until someone asks you for your favourite one, or better still, your least favourite. As for being recognisable, as long as I remain tethered to words and knowledge, then I’m happy. I have always been very content floating around beneath the radar.

Q. You did the Something Rhymes with Purple podcast with Gyles Brandreth, the chattiest man in the world. How did the idea come about, and why did the format work?

The podcast was an absolute joy, particularly during lockdown when Gyles and I met over Zoom and forgot the outside world for a bit. I think it worked because we are both passionate about the English language, which enabled us to travel down so many different avenues, and no doubt because our listeners wanted to hear exactly which new famous person Gyles had met during the past week!

Q. What are your feelings about how language evolves? How significantly has the way we use language changed in your own working life?

The role of a lexicographer is to embrace change and to chart it as objectively as possible. Gone are the days of Samuel Johnson when he could dismiss a new piece of slang as a ‘vile word’ that shouldn’t exist: we describe language, and never prescribe how it should be used. We might of course have our personal bugbears (‘like’ as a filler, anyone?), but at the same time we appreciate they are a snapshot of language change in action. Today I think we have a very strong sense of how quickly change can happen because we are exposed to it on so many different platforms, which enable a new word to travel across the globe in seconds. It’s a fascinating watch.

Q. What plans do you have and are there books in the pipeline?

I have a new children’s book coming out this autumn, The Roots We Share, designed to sprinkle a bit of positivity over our lives. I also have a new non-fiction book coming out called Words for Life. And my next novel will be out next year: Death Writ Large. In terms of TV, I will keep doing Countdown and 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown, of course: Dictionary Corner is my second home and I love it every bit as much as I did at the beginning. And I have a new series coming out with Alan Carr in which we aim to discover the hidden geniuses of Britain: those whose friends know they are supremely bright, but who have never been recognised for it. All of which mean it’s going to be a very busy and exciting year!

Q. ­­Your Word of the Day series is immensely popular on social media. In light of you coming to Bath, a city known for its Roman heritage, can you give us your favourite Latin idiom?

My favourite Latin idiom has to be the motto of the city of Paris: Fluctuat nec mergitur: ‘She is tossed by the waves but doesn’t sink’. It embodies the idea of vitality and resilience, and of perpetuity and celebration. I think it’s a beautiful one for life more generally – and indeed for Bath, a city with the deepest of roots. I can’t wait to be back.