A group of twenty-eight authors including Margaret Atwood and poet Andrew Motion are “profoundly alarmed” at the loss of fifty nature-related words from the Oxford Junior Dictionary, and replacement with technology-oriented words such as “broadband” and “chatroom.”

In an open letter to the Oxford University Press, the authors wrote, of the 10,000-entry children’s dictionary aimed at seven to nine-year olds, “We recognize the need to introduce new words and to make room for them and do not intend to comment in detail on the choice of words added. However it is worrying that in contrast to those taken out, many are associated with the interior, solitary childhoods of today. In light of what is known about the benefits of natural play and connection to nature, and the dangers of their lack, we think the choice of words to be omitted shocking and poorly omitted.”

The letter cited research that found that just a generation ago, 40% of children played in natural areas, as opposed to just 10% today. “Obesity, anti-social behavior, friendlessness and fear are the known consequences,” they wrote, pleading that the press overturn its decision and publish a new edition that includes the “most important nature words.”

According to The Guardian, an unnamed representative of Oxford University Press responded, “All our dictionaries are designed to reflect language as it is used, rather than seeking to prescribe certain words or word usages.”

The Oxford Junior Dictionary also “includes around 400 words related to nature including badger, bird, caterpillar, daffodil, feather, hedgehog, invertebrate, ladybird, ocean, python, sunflower, tadpole, vegetation, and zebra,” he added, and “Many words that do not appear in the Oxford Junior Dictionary are included in the Oxford Primary Dictionary; a more comprehensive dictionary designed to see students through to age eleven.”

“We have no firm plans to publish a new edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary at this stage. However, we welcome feedback on all our dictionaries and feed this into the editorial process.”