Is this a word?
by LUCE ORMONDE
I wonder what my ancestors would say if they knew the word ‘sexting’ – used to describe the act of suggestive messages via text – had been added to the dictionary.
I wonder how they’d react if they knew F-Bomb – that word we use in the place of the actual F-Word – had also been printed on the pages of the English language’s most important book. So it’s here to stay. Forever.
It seems like there’s no such thing as made-up words anymore. These days, if you use a silly word for long enough, there’s a good chance it will become the real deal (just like the aforementioned ‘sexting’ and ‘F-Bomb’. We’re hanging out for ‘birthzilla‘ but that’s a whole other story…)
The Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary adds 100 new additions to its pages every year. This year, they’ve included the words ‘aha moment,’ ‘energy drink,’ ‘life coach,’ ‘e-reader’ and ‘man cave’ to the expanding list of words.
Reuters reports:
The dictionary we’re talking about.
Popular phrases such as “man cave,” “bucket list” and “game changer” are among the new entries in the 2012 update of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, according to a list released by the company on Tuesday.
“Sexting” – the sending of sexually explicit messages or images by cell phone – and “f-bomb” – the printable euphemism for a four-letter curse word – also made the list.
Merriam-Webster said the list offers a revealing look at U.S. culture and the colorful language English speakers adopt to describe it.
The term “underwater” reflects the familiar struggles of homeowners who owe more on their mortgage loan than their properties are worth, while the lighter “aha moment” gives a nod to media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s signature phrase describing a flash of sudden realization.
“Some of the new words this year provide colorful images,” Merriam-Webster Editor at Large Peter Sokolowski said in a statement. “They show that English-speakers can be very creative as they describe the world around them.”
It got me thinking, not just about new words but old ones too. And which ones you wish had never made it to the dictionary (the word ‘moist’ bothers far more people than it pleases, why don’t we just agree to rip that page of the dictionary out, hey?)
Over to you. What words would you add to the dictionary if you had the chance? Or better still, what words would you take out?
Comments
34 Comments so far
OMG was first used by Winston Churchill in 1917!
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http://www.sina.com -topic – content
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It’s an American dictionary that can’t properly spell hundreds of common words.
Instead, let’s focus on recent inclusions to Australia’s dictionary, the Macquarie: Planking; Devo; Burqini; Photobombing; Fracking; Guyliner; Meggings. Much more interesting.
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I have two faves – BOBFOC – Body off Baywatch, Face off Crimewatch, and ‘Butterface’ – as in ‘she’s got a killer body, but her face….’
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My favorite word at the moment is munted. Love it!
Also I only just realised the other day that I have been spelling meant wrong. Was spelling it as mean’t. Feel like a bit of an idiot over that one.
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People everywhere committing crimes against the English language. Also, since when did dictionaries print phrases rather than just words?
The lastest one I have had the fortune to hear from the kids in my street is “gunt”. Having no idea what this was, I googled it.
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Everythink……..i hate how people say that! It’s EVERYTHING people, for the love of Mungbeans please pronounce it properly!! Maybe it should be added?
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everythink and haitch. The only, true and correct way to pronounce the letter aitch is aitch.
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While I pronounce ‘H’ the same was as you, you’re completely incorrect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H
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She isn’t completely incorrect at all!
Here is an article from the BBC regarding the English language:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11642588
And from the very article you’ve posted:
“In almost all dialects of English, the name for the letter is pronounced /ˈeɪtʃ/ and spelled ⟨aitch⟩[1] or occasionally ⟨eitch⟩. The pronunciation /ˈheɪtʃ/ and hence a spelling of ⟨haitch⟩ is often considered to be h-adding and hence nonstandard.”
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Yes, “haitch” is teeth-grindingly wrong whilst “aitch” is correct.
Would you say “Lel” or “Rar” or “Feff” or “Sess” and so on? Because the equivalent is haitch.
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A bit OT again but another one which drives me nuts – “Aksed”. It’s asked, people – SK not KS FFS!
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As a foreigner I have investigated the correct pronunciation of that particular letter, and following a primary school teacher’s current dictionary both are correct.
To me ‘aitch’ sounds like ‘hay’ without the ‘h’ and so rather ‘East End’ if that makes sense.
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I don’t understand the fuss. Every word in the language was once a “made up word”. English has become the dominant language because it is a not static, stealing g words from others or making shit up as it changes and grows over time.
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That’s correct Cowcakes. I guess people don’t realise how dictionaries are assembled or why. They are arranged according to usage. Information is collated from a variety of sources: TV, newspapers, novels, blogs, movies, social media … As a word is introduced and continues to be used becoming a part of popular vernacular, it will be added to the dictionary. Yes, dictionaries are there to give us word definitions, origins and pronunciations, but it’s USAGE that dictates their inclusion. For every word that’s added every year there are just as many that slip out of current use. btw Shakespeare introduced over 3000 words to the English language.
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What about ‘ceebs’? Not sure how common this one is but the teenagers I work with say it. Ceebs is short for the acronym CBF which is short for Can’t Be F****d.
So when I ask the kids at school why they haven’t done something and they reply ‘ceebs’, I have no idea whether or not I should be cranky. Are they swearing? Or not?
I’d try to figure it out, but ceebs!
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I feel like punching a brick wall when I hear someone say, “Amazeballs”. Same for the totally overused “Yolo”.
And teenagers who don’t even bother to, you know, actually laugh at a joke but instead say, “Fucken LOL”… Apparently lol is no longer just an acronym, it is now its very own word!!
I feel old!!!
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wait i like ‘Yolo’ and i still say lols, i love saying lols only because i think its the bestest cure to actually heal someone by ‘laughing out loud’ but i dont here someone say F’n lol, in my highschool they just say lols!!
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What does yolo mean?!
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You only live once.
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I’m sure this has been done here not that long ago but it’s worth repeating that the following phrases make me ill:
making love AND
we’re pregnant
No, WE are NOT pregnant! A man never has been and never will be pregnant.
You can say, ‘We are expecting a baby.’ That’s it.
It makes me wonder if sometime in the future couples will be saying – I’m sorry, we can’t come to the dinner party, we have our period.
Sorry, where was I? Oh, totally agree with ‘moist.’ Loath it. Love ‘munted’ though.
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I hate the “we” too! As you said, I have no issue with people saying “we are expecting.” But until men are able to push a baby through their vaginas (or at least half! lol), they can’t say “We are pregnant!”
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whereas I quite like saying ‘we’re pregnant’, for me it is a shared journey with my husband. He got me in this position and he bloody well is going to support me through it
each to your own. I’d make sure never to say it to you in person if i knew you so disliked it but I say it, not without thinking, but with a lot of meaning. Having said that its always me who says it, never heard my hubby say it
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Take out the c-bomb and replace it with ladygarden.
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hahaha lols, tots agree i prefer ladygarden the c-bomb!!! :p
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I hear so many words thrown around at my high school – and often have to ask the kids for translations. A couple I heard yesterday were:
‘twelvie’ – translation: an immature person (aka – a twelve-year old)
‘cray-cray’ – no not two crayfish. This is the teenage version of ‘crazy’.
That was just yesterday. Love how language evolves!
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hahaha tots (totally) agree!!!
if you think thats all in my highschool there are lots of words that kids make up!!!
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One word on the top of pops around my place as of late is “bintface”. It is being used in place of a variety of rude put downs and as a term of endearment. I love multifunctional words.
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“Some of the new words this year provide colorful images,”!!! yeah so im guessing if they put the word ‘cunt’ in there it would provide ‘colourful’ images for children.
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Take out panties – I loath that word!
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Take out panties. Is that like ringing up to order take out ?
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Maybe she meant take them out the back and shoot them!
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Gary – something unpleasant, annoying or importunate.
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Cunt
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