Human Nature Dictionary:About

The Human Nature Dictionary is a participatory creative project launched by artist and media producer Freedom Baird in January of 2016. The words that populate the dictionary are continually being created by participants at public word-coinings, through exchanges on Facebook and email, and by direct editing. Many thanks to all contributors, past and future!

The project is inspired by the participatory works, strategies and tactics of many artists including Mel Chin, Tania Brugera, Lee Mingwei, Paul Ramirez Jonas, Kate Gilbert and Elisa Hamilton.

Thanks to collaborators and advisors who helped us get the Dictionary ready for launch in its early stages. These include Jane Marsching, William Chambers and Deborah Gray at MassArt, and Brian Johnson at the Artisan's Asylum. Thanks also to Greg Lowenberg for sending me the Landspeak article which inspired this project.

Many thanks also to Karma Westbard whose skillful content entry and editing keeps the newly-coined words flowing onto the dictionary's wiki.

We welcome your participation with the Human Nature Dictionary! You can contribute, edit, and discuss.

Feel free to contribute words, definitions, photos, artwork -- any kind of text or image that shows an unintentional, unplanned, unexpected connection between humans and nature. Like the way a squirrel tiptoes across a power-line. Or a surfer's view of garbage in the curl of a wave. Browse the definitions to see what we have so far.

We've already had contributions from kids on up to adults! You can email us an idea for posting or join as a wiki user. Even if your idea is partial, send it on in and we'll use it as word-fodder! As with Wikipedia, your contributed content to the Human Nature Dictionary becomes part of a creative commons. Check our events page to see if you can join us at a public word-coining! These will be lively, social gatherings where will sit together, eat snacks, and cook up new words and images for the Human Nature Dictionary.

We welcome journalists and writers to adopt any of this new language and use it in your publications. Let us know when you do, and we'll include links to your work along with the word definitions. Your use of a new word or phrase in this way helps it meet inclusion criteria for future inclusion by Wiktionary, Merriam-Webster, and other established dictionary publishers.

Feel free to contact me with any questions about the Human Nature Dictionary.

Thanks for visiting!
Freedom Baird, Editor