Stephen Turton

Stephen Turton is a Research Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, focusing on the history of English dictionaries from 1600 to the present. His work critically examines representations of marginalized language varieties and social groups within lexicographic traditions.

• Collaboration: Co-leading a project with Charlotte Brewer (Oxford) to digitize and edit Sir James A. H. Murray’s correspondence (Oxford English Dictionary editor).
• Affiliation: Active member of Cambridge Digital Humanities, contributing to digital lexicography initiatives.

Research Themes: Through lexicography, Turton explores intersections of language, gender, and sexuality. His recent work highlights:

• Queer terminology in historical dictionaries
• Intersex narratives in early modern lexicography
• Transgender language evolution in crowdsourced platforms like Urban Dictionary
• Scientific lexicography’s role in shaping sexual identities

Publications Trends: His scholarship spans digital humanities, queer theory, and historical linguistics, with a focus on marginalized communities. Key projects include analyzing Anne Lister’s sexual lexicon and the OED’s discourse ecology.

Contact: smt75@cam.ac.uk