# Building a beloved resource for word lovers, with Doug Harper Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/grammar-girl-for-writers-and-language-lovers-159700/building-a-beloved-resource-for-word-lovers-with-doug-harper Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/grammar-girl-for-writers-and-language-lovers-159700/building-a-beloved-resource-for-word-lovers-with-doug-harper.md Podcast: [Grammar Girl: For Writers and Language Lovers.](https://stenobird.com/podcast/grammar-girl-for-writers-and-language-lovers-159700) Published: 2026-07-02T09:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/grammar-girl/episodes/building-a-beloved-resource-for-word-lovers-with-doug-harper Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69c1476c007cdcf83fc0964b/e/6a427685c2fe1c7f49b14af9/media.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/grammar-girl-for-writers-and-language-lovers-159700/episodes/building-a-beloved-resource-for-word-lovers-with-doug-harper Duration seconds: 1630 ## Resource 1199. In this bonus episode first released to Grammarpaloozians in January, we look at what it means to turn a "channeled obsession" into a resource used by millions of language fans. Doug Harper shares how he built Etymonline as a solo act, fueled by late-night shifts and "ink in his blood." We also look at the "Nimrod" mystery — from a biblical king to a Bugs Bunny insult — and the obsessive sidequests that Doug and his team take to find the truth behind words. Find Doug at Etymonline.com . 🔗  Join the Grammar Girl Patreon. 🔗  Share your familect recording in   Speakpipe  or by leaving a voicemail at 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) 🔗  Watch my   LinkedIn Learning writing courses . 🔗  Subscribe to the   newsletter . 🔗  Find an edited   transcript . 🔗  Get   Grammar Girl books . | HOST: Mignon Fogarty | Grammar Girl is part of  the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend Director of Podcast: Holly Hutchings Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes, Rebekah Sebastian Podcast Associate: Maram Elnagheeb | Theme music by  Catherine Rannus . | Grammar Girl Social Media:  YouTube .  TikTok .  Facebook .  Threads .  Instagram .  LinkedIn .  Mastodon .  Bluesky . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/grammar-girl-for-writers-and-language-lovers-159700/episodes/building-a-beloved-resource-for-word-lovers-with-doug-harper/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/grammar-girl-for-writers-and-language-lovers-159700/building-a-beloved-resource-for-word-lovers-with-doug-harper.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.