Mark Gwynn is a senior researcher at the Australian National Dictionary Centre.

Mark has written about various aspects of lexicography and Australian English.

He is the editor of more than 30 dictionaries published by Oxford University Press. Mark was a co-editor of the second edition of the Australian National Dictionary (2016), which defines and traces the history of some 16,000 Australian words and phrases. He is currently working on the third edition of this dictionary and also researching the history and vocabulary of Australian rhyming slang.


Fields of expertise



Articles

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‘It’s really hard to switch off’: the quest to find Australia’s Word of the Year

Have you ever wondered what dictionaries think of each other’s ‘Word of the Year’ picks, or are you…

20 November 2024



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Dictionary calls on sporting tragics to step up to the plate in new appeal  

Whether you barrack for the Tillies or Kookaburras, prefer aerial ping pong to mobile wrestling, or have been…

23 July 2024



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Where did the term eshay come from?

The 2022 Netflix television series Heartbreak High introduced many people to the Australian word eshay. The word puzzled…

8 May 2024



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The Matildas waltz in as Australia’s Word of the Year

The soaring popularity of the Australian women’s soccer team after their semi-final run at this year’s FIFA Women’s…

15 November 2023



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Bin chickens and maggies step into the spotlight with new word appeal  

Australia’s nicknames for its weird and wonderful animals have become almost as iconic as the creatures themselves.    Some…

26 July 2023



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‘Shoeys’ have been around for years, but where did the word come from?

Singer, actor and 2023 Grammy Award winner Harry Styles recently made headlines around the world for doing a…

27 February 2023



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Australia’s 2022 Word of the Year revealed

teal: adjective: of or relating to an independent political candidate or politician who advocates for greater integrity in parliament…

23 November 2022



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Why language could be crucial in the lead up to election day

From “Manchurian candidate” accusations to talk of “wedge politics”, Australians are already being served up a taste of…


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Iso picked as ‘typically Aussie’ Word of the Year

Iso: self-isolation; the act of remaining apart from others as a way to limit the spread of an infectious disease,…

17 November 2020



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