Allen Walker Read | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 2, 1906 |
| Died | October 16, 2002 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Northern Iowa (B.A)
University of Iowa (M.A.) Oxford University (Rhodes Scholarship, D.Litt.) |
| Occupation(s) | Etymologist, lexicographer |
Allen Walker Read (June 2, 1906 – October 16, 2002) was an American etymologist and lexicographer. Born in Minnesota, he spent much of his career as a professor at Columbia University in New York. Read's work Classic American Graffiti is well regarded in the study of latrinalia and obscenity. His etymological career included his discovery of the origin of the word "OK", a longtime puzzle, and his scholarly study of the history and use of the common English vulgarity "fuck."