The OED Needs Your Help!

The Oxford English Dictionary is enlisting the public to help them trace 40 well-known words and phrases. All of them are currently in the dictionary with a date of the earliest evidence of usage, but the OED's researchers want to know if anyone can do any better.

The results will feature in a new series of the BBC2 TV show 'Balderdash and Piffle', presented by Victoria Coren. Last year members of the public came up with evidence to update the history of words including ploughman's lunch, the 99 ice-cream, and the full monty. John Simpson, the OED's chief editor, said: 'Wordhunters made some remarkable discoveries in the last series. They found wordhunt words tucked away in football fanzines, LPs, school newspapers - just the sort of sources we can't easily get our hands on.'

The 40 words for which help is being sought this time include some whose origin is still unknown or uncertain, including shaggy dog story, loo, bonkers, Bloody Mary, take the mickey, bung and spiv. The dictionary is also hoping for more information on mucky pup, sick puppy, glamour model, hoodie, shell-suit, stiletto, marital aid, pole dance, and one sandwich short of a picnic. They emphasise that they are seeking documentary evidence for the use of these words and expressions: 'I remember my granny saying...' wouldn't be good enough. More information can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/balderdash.