Ian Brookes is Editor-in-Chief of The Chambers Dictionary which was first published in 1901 and most recently updated in 2006. We talk here about lexicographers, Samuel Johnson, Scotland, the speed of language change getting quicker, Chambers\u2019 unique focus on old, Scottish, literary, historical words with humorous, sardonic definitions, such as\xa0 mallemaroking and pock pudding, use of the dictionary by crossword puzzle and word game enthusiasts, Wikipedia\u2019s Hawaiian roots, the charm of browsing, the influence of rap, urban slang, multiculturalism, and instant messaging, cookery terms and the pain of being a teacher.\xa0