Listen to these words----, chick flick, amuse-bouche, metadata, SARS, cybrarian, brain freeze, DHS, Wi-Fi and steganography. Did you recognize any of them? Well you could check out the latest "chick flick", enjoy an "amuse-bouche", collect "metadata"-- but I sure hope you or no one else is ever exposed to "SARS". You're hearing some of the new entries that have made it to the dictionary. You can find the meanings of these new entries at Miriam-Webster.
There's an article that explains the process whereby words are selected for inclusion into the dictionary. It takes roughly 10 years for a promising word to get into the dictionary from the time it first gets noticed. Some, however, get to the dictionary quickly, depending on the urgency of their meaning and impact.
Miriam-Webster has editors who spend a part of each day reading magazines and newspaers, looking for evidence of how words are being more commonly used. The new words reflect changes and developments in American society.
Hey, did you know that Merriam-Webster's Dictionary declared "blog" as the word of the year in 2004? There's a link on that page to the official scoop of how a word gets into a Miriam-Webster dictionary.
Put your shoulder to the wheel and have a little fun with words. Miriam-Webster has some cool games that let you have fun with words here and here. Think about words you use or have heard. Tell us about them. You might want to share an idiom, a word you love, a new word you have learned, or a new one you have heard lately. Tell us why you chose your word when you make a comment.
Now, I hope Derrick, a former student blogger is reading this. He coined the word "blook" when we wrote a "Blook on Blogs." Now, blook may have been used elsewhere but I couldn't find it in the dictionary. I hope Derrick submits it to Miriam-Webster!
Have fun with words!
Recent Comments