For the first time in history online technologies have made it possible to see, in real time, how people are using their digital dictionaries. Peter Sokolowski, a lexicographer at the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, discusses the usage patterns of America's iconic dictionary to illustrate how politics, media and language intersect in our daily lives.

The meeting was recorded on 2 October 2018 at the Institute of English Studies, University of Warsaw. We are grateful to the US Embassy for helping to make this event happen, and to our own Dr. Justyna Włodarczyk for organizing the visit.