logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
12m 11s

Roget's Lexical Legacy

The Retrospectors
About this episode

Peter Mark Roget waited until retirement to compile his personal collection of synonyms into a book for publication: the first edition of Roget’s Theasurus, released on 29th April, 1852. 


Despite initial scepticism from critics, who couldn't grasp its practical brilliance, the public embraced the new format - despite its unconventional organisation, in which synonyms were categorised by conceptual threads, rather than in alphabetical order.


In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca explain how Roget drew inspiration from the systematic brilliance of Carl Linnaeus; discover literary references to the book in J.M. Barrie and Sylvia Plath; and question whether Roget’s work was an entirely positive development for journalism…


Further Reading:

• ‘Roget and His Thesaurus’ (The Saturday Evening Post, 2023): https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2023/01/roget-and-his-thesaurus/

• ‘Peter Mark Roget, the Keeper (See: Steward, Caretaker) of Synonyms’ (The New York Times, 2008): https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/books/18book.html

• ’Eulogy at a Roget's Thesaurus Funeral - Johnny Carson’ (NBC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSYzLJiSZzM


Love the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!

Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.

Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!

We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.





Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Oct 10
Governing Outer Space
On 10th October, 1967 a treaty went into force that has gone on to become the backbone for all international space law – a United Nations-approved agreement known as the The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, includi ... Show More
13 m
Oct 9
When Sumo Came To London
The Royal Albert Hall was the unlikely venue for the biggest Sumo wrestling tournament ever staged outside of Japan on 9th October, 1991. Around forty wrestlers, described in the press as “bouncing like fat Buddhas,” thundered across a ring on clay sourced from a field near Heath ... Show More
12m 28s
Oct 8
The Permanent Wave
Hairdressers descended upon Oxford Street on October 8th, 1906 to witness Karl Nessler’s first public demonstration of his pioneering new ‘perm’ - a style which didn’t have its heyday until some eighty years later. Creating a long-lasting curl had been a goal for many stylists ov ... Show More
11m 24s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Liv Reads Quintus Smyrnaeus: The Fall of Troy (Book 2)
Liv reads Quintus Smyrnaeus' The Fall of Troy, translated by AS Way. In the only surviving source retelling the end of the Trojan War, Troy reels after the Amazon Penthesilea's death. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content!This is not a standard n ... Show More
54m 57s
Jan 2024
Introducing On This Day in Working Class History: A new daily podcast from WCH
Introducing a brand-new daily podcast from the team at WCH. On This Day in Working Class History will be a brief reminder each morning of our collective struggles for a better world which have taken place on this date in history. Launching on 1 February on a trial basis, each epi ... Show More
2m 32s
Mar 2020
Marc Maron's Tumeric
When veteran stand-up Marc Maron recorded his latest hour special, End Times Fun, back in October 2019, he had no idea how topical it would be. Seven months later, End Times Fun has proven to be bizarrely, morosely timely, as it deals with themes of uncertainty, fear, and isolati ... Show More
1h 20m
Feb 2024
S20 Ep19: NoSleep Podcast S20E19
It’s Episode 19 of Season 20. Come join us around the campfire for tales about scary schooling. “Detention” written by Jordan Underhill (Story starts around 00:03:25) Produced by: Phil Michalski Cast: Narrator – Kyle Akers, Mr. Thompson – Atticus Jackson “Moooooooooom… Something ... Show More
1h 9m
Feb 2024
Blob Friends Forever: Episode 3
Today we have the next installment of BFF Blob Friends Forever our new original chapter book style series. If you haven't listened to the previous episodes yet make sure to go back and listen to that one first. This series is aimed at our slightly older audience so parents may wa ... Show More
38m 29s
Nov 2023
563 Sylvia Plath (with Carl Rollyson)
Jacke talks to "serial biographer" Carl Rollyson (The Last Days of Sylvia Plath, The Life of William Faulkner) about his new book, Sylvia Plath: Day by Day: Volume 1: 1932-1955, which draws upon Plath's diaries and other writings to present Plath's life from her birth in Boston, ... Show More
57m 57s
Feb 2024
Robin Hood: Robin and the Butcher - Bedtime Stories
Tonight's bedtime story is the continuation of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. The first story is Robin Hood and the Butcher. The second is the Little John Goes to the Nottingham Fair. Support the podcast and enjoy ad-free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple ... Show More
42m 39s
Jul 2023
'The O.C.' 20th Anniversary: Season 1, Episodes 2 and 3
Bill, Jo, and Juliet continue the 'O.C.’ Hall of Fame tribute by immediately diving into their favorite scenes and overly dated nitpicks for the show’s second episode, "The Model Home." They quickly pivot to its iconic follow-up, "The Gamble," which ignites a discussion about the ... Show More
44m 15s
Sep 12
Why Working-Class Voters Feel Left Behind, Wealth and Security, and How Scott Gives Money
Producer’s note: This episode was recorded prior to Charlie Kirk’s death. Scott answers listener questions on why working-class voters feel left behind in politics, how wealth shifts your approach to personal and online security, and how he decides where and when to give his mone ... Show More
18m 54s