Benjamin Zimmer
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Zimmer is an American
linguist and lexicographer. He is the executive producer of the Visual Thesaurus and Vocabulary.com. He was the "On Language" columnist for The New York Times Magazine
from March 2010 to February 2011 and formerly a research associate at the University of Pennsylvania
's Institute for Research in Cognitive Science and an editor of American dictionaries at Oxford University Press
.
in 1992 with a B.A.
degree in linguistics, and went on to study linguistic anthropology at the University of Chicago
. For his research on the languages of Indonesia
, he received fellowships from the National Science Foundation
, the Fulbright Program
, and the Social Science Research Council
. He was a Ford Foundation Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles
and taught at Kenyon College
and Rutgers University
.
In 2005, Zimmer was named a research associate at the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science at the University of Pennsylvania
and became a regular contributor to Language Log
, a group weblog on language and linguistics. He was named editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press
in 2006, and the following year launched "From A to Zimmer," a weekly lexicography column on the OUP blog.
In 2008, Zimmer was appointed executive producer of the Visual Thesaurus, an interactive reference tool from Thinkmap, Inc. He edits the content of the online magazine of the Visual Thesaurus and writes a regular column on word origins entitled "Word Routes."
Zimmer's writing on language has appeared in two blog anthologies: Ultimate Blogs (Vintage, 2008, ISBN 978-0307278067) and Far from the Madding Gerund (William, James, 2006, ISBN 978-1590280553). He has also written for Slate
and The Boston Globe
. His research on word origins was frequently cited by William Safire
's "On Language" column for The New York Times Magazine
.
Zimmer serves on the Executive Council of the American Dialect Society
. and chairs the society's New Words Committee. He is also a member of the Dictionary Society of North America
.
On March 11, 2010, The New York Times Magazine
announced the appointment of Zimmer as the new “On Language” columnist. Zimmer succeeded William Safire
, who was the founding and regular columnist until his death in late 2009. Zimmer's last "On Language" column was published on February 27, 2011. In it, Zimmer wrote that the column was "finally coming to a close ..." and that ..."it [was] time to bid adieu, after some 1,500 dispatches from the frontiers of language."
and the son of former New Jersey congressman Dick Zimmer
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
linguist and lexicographer. He is the executive producer of the Visual Thesaurus and Vocabulary.com. He was the "On Language" columnist for The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
from March 2010 to February 2011 and formerly a research associate at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
's Institute for Research in Cognitive Science and an editor of American dictionaries at Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
.
Career
Zimmer graduated from Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1992 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in linguistics, and went on to study linguistic anthropology at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. For his research on the languages of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, he received fellowships from the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, the Fulbright Program
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
, and the Social Science Research Council
Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council is a U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines...
. He was a Ford Foundation Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
and taught at Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
and Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
.
In 2005, Zimmer was named a research associate at the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and became a regular contributor to Language Log
Language Log
Language Log is a collaborative language blog maintained by University of Pennsylvania phonetician Mark Liberman.The site is updated daily at the whims of the contributors, and most of the posts are on language use in the media and popular culture. Google search results are frequently used as a...
, a group weblog on language and linguistics. He was named editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
in 2006, and the following year launched "From A to Zimmer," a weekly lexicography column on the OUP blog.
In 2008, Zimmer was appointed executive producer of the Visual Thesaurus, an interactive reference tool from Thinkmap, Inc. He edits the content of the online magazine of the Visual Thesaurus and writes a regular column on word origins entitled "Word Routes."
Zimmer's writing on language has appeared in two blog anthologies: Ultimate Blogs (Vintage, 2008, ISBN 978-0307278067) and Far from the Madding Gerund (William, James, 2006, ISBN 978-1590280553). He has also written for Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
and The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
. His research on word origins was frequently cited by William Safire
William Safire
William Lewis Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter....
's "On Language" column for The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
.
Zimmer serves on the Executive Council of the American Dialect Society
American Dialect Society
The American Dialect Society, founded in 1889, is a learned society "dedicated to the study of the English language in North America, and of other languages, or dialects of other languages, influencing it or influenced by it." The Society publishes the academic journal, American Speech...
. and chairs the society's New Words Committee. He is also a member of the Dictionary Society of North America
Dictionary society of north america
The Dictionary Society of North America was founded in 1975 to encourage scholarly and professional activities that have to do with dictionaries and lexicography...
.
On March 11, 2010, The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
announced the appointment of Zimmer as the new “On Language” columnist. Zimmer succeeded William Safire
William Safire
William Lewis Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter....
, who was the founding and regular columnist until his death in late 2009. Zimmer's last "On Language" column was published on February 27, 2011. In it, Zimmer wrote that the column was "finally coming to a close ..." and that ..."it [was] time to bid adieu, after some 1,500 dispatches from the frontiers of language."
Family
Benjamin is the brother of science writer Carl ZimmerCarl Zimmer
Carl Zimmer is a popular science writer and blogger, especially regarding the study of evolution and parasites. He has written several books and contributes science essays to publications such as The New York Times and Discover...
and the son of former New Jersey congressman Dick Zimmer
Dick Zimmer (New Jersey politician)
Richard Alan "Dick" Zimmer is an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and in the United States House of Representatives. He was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate from New Jersey in 1996 and 2008...
.
External links
- Official website, including biography and archive of writings
- Contributor profile, Language LogLanguage LogLanguage Log is a collaborative language blog maintained by University of Pennsylvania phonetician Mark Liberman.The site is updated daily at the whims of the contributors, and most of the posts are on language use in the media and popular culture. Google search results are frequently used as a...
- From A to Zimmer, OUPblog, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
- Contributor profile, Visual Thesaurus