NationStates Jolt Archive

Link (http://www.m-w.com/info/newwords07.htm)

Link (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/05/mouse_potato_needing_bling_check_merriam_websters_new_entries/)

Merriam Webster has added some new words to it's dictionary for 2007


1. agnolotti
2. Bollywood
3. chaebol
4. crunk
5. DVR
6. flex-cuff
7. ginormous
8. gray literature
9. hardscape
10. IED
11. microgreen
12. nocebo
13. perfect storm
14. RPG
15. smackdown
16. snowboardcross
17. speed dating
18. sudoku
19. telenovela
20. viewshed


Has this company lost it's credibility? What now, every word that makes it's way now into pop-culture is now a part of the english language? Who the hell actually uses the word 'Ginormous'?

Do you think we could get a word in there? My vote's for myrth.

Who the hell actually uses the word 'Ginormous'?

It was quite popular eighteen to twenty years ago in primary school.

They missed the usual meaning (to me) of "RPG"...

Link (http://www.m-w.com/info/newwords07.htm)

Link (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/05/mouse_potato_needing_bling_check_merriam_websters_new_entries/)

Merriam Webster has added some new words to it's dictionary for 2007



Has this company lost it's credibility? What now, every word that makes it's way now into pop-culture is now a part of the english language? Who the hell actually uses the word 'Ginormous'?

Do you think we could get a word in there? My vote's for myrth.

So what makes a word part of a language, if not the people who speak that language using it?

And I've used the word ginormous many times. It's a portmanteau of gigantic and enormous.

Ugh. Most of those are flash-in-the-pan or useless words.

And I've used the word ginormous many times. It's a portmanteau of gigantic and enormous.

Do we really need the dictionary to tell us that, though? I'd think it would be obvious to just about anyone without having to consult a dictionary. :p

It was quite popular eighteen to twenty years ago in primary school.

They missed the usual meaning (to me) of "RPG"...

Indeed they did. Everyone knows that RPG stands for Reaktivnyy/Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot (реактивный/ручной противотанковый гранатомёт).

Do we really need the dictionary to tell us that, though? I'd think it would be obvious to just about anyone without having to consult a dictionary. :p

Not people learning it as a second language.

Do we really need the dictionary to tell us that, though? I'd think it would be obvious to just about anyone without having to consult a dictionary. :p

too true

Not people learning it as a second language.

Sometimes a little ignorance benefits us all. :p

Sometimes a little ignorance benefits us all. :p

Are you implying that the English language, as a whole, is better without the word ginormous appearing in Merriam-Webster dictionaries?

Are you implying that the English language, as a whole, is better without the word ginormous appearing in Merriam-Webster dictionaries?

Nah, it probably makes little difference. If we weeded out silly or unhelpful words, we'd probably have half a dictionary left. :p

Is it wrong that the word "ginormous" makes me think of pussy and martinis? ;)

Nah, it probably makes little difference. If we weeded out silly or unhelpful words, we'd probably have half a dictionary left. :p

If the words are still in the dictionary it's because they're still used to some extent.

It was quite popular eighteen to twenty years ago in primary school.

They missed the usual meaning (to me) of "RPG"...
If you mean rocket-propelled grenade, they have that already.

Indeed they did. Everyone knows that RPG stands for Reaktivnyy/Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot (реактивный/ручной противотанковый гранатомёт).

If you mean rocket-propelled grenade, they have that already.

*cough*

If you mean rocket-propelled grenade, they have that already.

"Role-Playing Game".

*cough*

I saw that but did you really think I knew what it meant?

"Role-Playing Game".
Duh.

I saw that but did you really think I knew what it meant?

So you don't speak Russian? What kind of German are you?

I haven't heard of half of those words..

So you don't speak Russian? What kind of German are you?
One who grew up in the West?

One who grew up in the West?

Bah, damned Wessies.

It's not part of the English language until it's in the OED.

Dictionary snobs rule!

Bah, damned Wessies.
:p I didn't know you knew those terms in English. It's Wessis, though, without the e.

:p I didn't know you knew those terms in English. It's Wessis, though, without the e.

I remember it from Goodbye Stalin, or something like that.

It's not part of the English language until it's in the OED.

Dictionary snobs rule!

OED represent, yo!

I remember it from Goodbye Stalin, or something like that.
Goodbye Lenin. :p

:p I didn't know you knew those terms in English. It's Wessis, though, without the e.

I always thought they were saying "Wiseass..."

Is ridonkulous in there? Then it will be a dictionary. *nods*

I'd say that all that Webster's is is merely a cataloging of the known words of the English language. It is not the decider of what the English language is composed of. English, unlike several other languages does not have an official mechanism for the official recognition of words, as words will simply come into common use if they are worthwhile. There is no Academie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acad%C3%A9mie_fran%C3%A7aise), just the language as it naturally evolves.

Link (http://www.m-w.com/info/newwords07.htm)

Link (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/05/mouse_potato_needing_bling_check_merriam_websters_new_entries/)

Merriam Webster has added some new words to it's dictionary for 2007



Has this company lost it's credibility? What now, every word that makes it's way now into pop-culture is now a part of the english language? Who the hell actually uses the word 'Ginormous'?

Do you think we could get a word in there? My vote's for myrth.
I'm a little miffed that they've never included "gazillion". It's a wonderful number to express something bigger than you can reasonably count. Or the number of meters in a mile, if you're not a metricist.

I always thought the whole point of a dictionary was to find out the definition of word you hadn't come across before or had forgotten the meaning of, and not to squabble over when you can use ginormous in a game of scrable or not.

but meh...

I always thought the whole point of a dictionary was to find out the definition of word you hadn't come across before or had forgotten the meaning of, and not to squabble over when you can use ginormous in a game of scrable or not.

but meh...

Depends on the dictionary. Try playing scrabble with an unabridged OED.

Depends on the dictionary. Try playing scrabble with an unabridged OED.I can't even play scrabble... it's the type of game I suck at. All I ever see is a muddle of letters, and maybe the word 'cat' or something just as short.

Has this company lost it's credibility? What now, every word that makes it's way now into pop-culture is now a part of the english language?Every word that is used over a certain amount of time with a certain frequency, yes. That's what a dictionary is supposed to do, describe and document the words that people actually use.

Who the hell actually uses the word 'Ginormous'?Unfortunately a ginormous amount of people. Over 700000 hits on google. For comparison, the fine word "disestablishmentarism" only has some 260.