Allen Walker Read
Encyclopedia
Allen Walker Read was an American etymologist and lexicographer, best known for his studies into the words "okay
" and "fuck
."
Read was born in Winnebago, Minnesota
, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa
(then called Iowa State Teachers College) in 1925, a master's degree from the University of Iowa
in 1926, and studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar
from 1928-1931. He was a chaired professor at Columbia University
in New York City from 1945 until 1975. He is a past president of the Semiotic Society of America
(1980).
He was a repeated contributor to American Speech
by 1931; his first extended work, Lexical Evidence from Folk Epigraphy in Western North America: A Glossarial Study of the Low Element in the English Vocabulary, was privately published in Paris in 1935 since its description of bathroom graffiti
was considered too racy for American publishers. It was eventually published in the United States in 1977, under the title Classic American Graffiti, ISBN 0-916500-06-3.
He married Charlotte Schuchardt in 1953. They remained together until she died in July 2002. He died in New York City three months later. They had no children.
Okay
"Okay" is a colloquial English word denoting approval, acceptance, agreement, assent, or acknowledgment. "Okay" has frequently turned up as a loanword in many other languages...
" and "fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
."
Read was born in Winnebago, Minnesota
Winnebago, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,487 people, 641 households, and 398 families residing in the city. The population density was 675.5 people per square mile . There were 705 housing units at an average density of 320.3 per square mile...
, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
(then called Iowa State Teachers College) in 1925, a master's degree from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1926, and studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
from 1928-1931. He was a chaired professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City from 1945 until 1975. He is a past president of the Semiotic Society of America
Semiotic Society of America
The Semiotic Society of America is an interdisciplinary professional association serving scholars from many disciplines with common interests in semiotics, the study of signs and sign-systems. It was founded in 1975 and includes members from the United States and Canada. Its official journal is The...
(1980).
He was a repeated contributor to American Speech
American Speech
American Speech is a quarterly academic journal of the American Dialect Society, established in 1925 and published by the Duke University Press...
by 1931; his first extended work, Lexical Evidence from Folk Epigraphy in Western North America: A Glossarial Study of the Low Element in the English Vocabulary, was privately published in Paris in 1935 since its description of bathroom graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
was considered too racy for American publishers. It was eventually published in the United States in 1977, under the title Classic American Graffiti, ISBN 0-916500-06-3.
He married Charlotte Schuchardt in 1953. They remained together until she died in July 2002. He died in New York City three months later. They had no children.
External links
- An essay on goodbyemag.com.
- An obituary on Economist.com.