Words Have Provenance: Tracing the Evidence Behind Our Language Webinar

What can a dictionary tell you beyond the definition of a word? This 30-minute session will explore how the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) can support legal research by tracing the origins, meanings, and historical use of language.

Using real examples, we’ll explore how to discover when words entered the English language, how their meanings have changed, and how the OED’s historical quotations and specialized meanings can provide valuable evidence for legal research. We’ll look at examples from trademark, patent, and contract law, including cases in which courts have turned to the OED to help interpret language.

We’ll also take a brief look at the OED’s AI Search Assistant and its quarterly Updates, and how these features can support discovery and current awareness.

Register for this webinar.