Kory Stamper, Lucas Hnath

CHQ&A

Lexicographer Kory Stamper and playwright Lucas Hnath join interviewers Emily Morris and Andrew Borba in this packed episode featuring conversations with two presenters who helped shape the opening week of the 2018 Chautauqua Institution season, themed "The Life of the Written Word."

For nearly two decades at Merriam-Webster, Kory Stamper was responsible for altering definitions of old words and creating definitions for new ones. Her book, Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, cracks open the obsessive world of dictionary writing, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it, to the knotty questions of ever-changing word usage. In this converation, Kory and Emily discuss her book, how words find their way into the dictionary, and the hot-button issues you may be surprised to learn that lexicographers face. Follow her on Twitter at @KoryStamper, and read The Chautauquan Daily's recap of her Amphitheater lecture here: http://chqdaily.com….

Lucas Hnath is the author of more than a dozen plays, including The Christians and Red Speedo. He made his Broadway debut in 2017 with A Doll’s House, Part 2, his brilliant interpretation of what happens to Nora after the shocking ending of the original play by Ibsen. When he isn’t writing award-winning plays, he serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Dramatic Writing at his alma mater, NYU. Listen on (conversation begins at 30:32) as Andrew and Lucas discuss the playwright's process, his inspirations, and why he doesn't make a point to see his plays performed. Read The Chautauquan Daily's recap of Lucas' Amphitheater conversation here: http://chqdaily.com…

Emily Morris is Chautauqua's vice president of marketing and communications and chief brand officer. Andrew Borba is Chautauqua Theater Company's artistic director.