Richard A. Spears

Richard A. Spears began collecting words at the age of eight and dictionaries at fourteen. This love of language eventually led to a Ph.D. from Indiana University. An adjunct Associate Professor of Linguistics at Northwestern University, Mr. Spears also is Director, Dictionary Department NTC Publishing Group. He has written on West African languages and nonstandard English, including pidgins and creolized languages, and has taught courses in slang and unconventional English.