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Oxford Dictionary's Word of 2012: GIF

File format beats 'YOLO,' 'superstorm'

(Newser) - The GIF file type for simple animations has been around since the '80s but only now has the Oxford Dictionary decided to make it its American word of the year. GIF—which stands for "graphic interchange format"—"celebrated a lexical milestone in 2012, gaining traction as...

F-Bomb Makes It Into Dictionary
 F-Bomb Makes It Into Dictionary 
and other new words
Aug 14, 2012 2:00 AM CDT

F-Bomb Makes It Into Dictionary

Sexting, flexitarian also among Merriam-Webster newbies

(Newser) - F-bomb and sexting are real words now, at least in the eyes of the editors at Merriam-Webster. The terms are among 100 or so additions in the 114-year-old dictionary's annual update, along with man cave, energy drink, shovel-ready, game changer, and "flexitarian," which refers to a mostly-vegetarian...

Atlantic Unveils Dictionary of Most Hated Words

Arguably, moist, and webinar make the dreaded list

(Newser) - Basically, there's an awesome online dictionary that's interesting and supposably whimsical—and if those italicized words are driving you crazy, you'll like the Atlantic 's dictionary of "despicable words." The magazine bases it on emails from readers who are simply seething over our use...

Senators Want 'Lunatic' Deleted From Federal Laws

It's an outdated, offensive term, says proposed legislation

(Newser) - Two senators have introduced a bill to erase the word "lunatic" from the federal code because the term is considered outdated and offensive, reports the Los Angeles Times . "Federal law should reflect the 21st century understanding of mental illness and disease," says Kent Conrad of North Dakota,...

9 Foreign Words We Really Need to Start Using

Kummerspeck, and other great options

(Newser) - The German language is officially richer, thanks to its adoption of the English word "shitstorm." Now that we've given, it's time to take: Cracked argues that the English language is in desperate need of these nine foreign words, for which there is absolutely no English equivalent:...

&#39;Amazing&#39; and &#39;Baby Bump&#39; Top List of Banished Words
'Amazing' and 'Baby Bump'
Top List of Banished Words
year in review
Dec 30, 2011 8:29 AM CST

'Amazing' and 'Baby Bump' Top List of Banished Words

'Win the future,' 'new normal' also on list of hated words and phrases

(Newser) - The compilers of the 37th "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse, and General Uselessness" say it's amazing that "amazing" didn't make their annual list earlier. With more than 1,500 nominations from around the world, the overused superlative topped this...

17 Words That Must Go Away
 17 Words That Must Go Away 
'adorkable'
Dec 10, 2011 9:00 AM CST

17 Words That Must Go Away

Stop saying 'adorkable,' please: Julie Gerstein

(Newser) - If the newly popular phrase "adorkable" makes you cringe (thanks, Zooey Deschanel), you're not alone. It tops Julie Gerstein's list on The Frisky of 17 words and phrases that need to be retired as we head into 2012:
  • Redonkulous: Use the actual word—ridiculous—because "redonkulous
...

The Toughest Words at Scripps Spelling Bee

Linguist explains which ones are the trickiest

(Newser) - The 84th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee is under way, and before a winner is crowned on national television tomorrow night, thousands of really obscure words will be tackled by 275 kids ages 8 to 15. Twelve-year-old Kevin Lazenby of Opelika, Ala., kicked off round two today, notes the AP...

It's OK to Let Words Evolve—Sometimes

Slate writer introduces ranking system for worried linguists

(Newser) - Quick, define "disinterested." If you said "impartial" rather than "uninterested," congratulate yourself on knowing the original meaning, albeit one that's eroding. Ben Yagoda at Slate tackles the age-old linguistic issue of knowing when it's OK to let words evolve—and when it's not. But he...

14 Words That Need to Be Banished
14 Words That Need
to Be Banished
Jan 2, 2011 3:55 PM CST

14 Words That Need to Be Banished

Man up, and stop using them

(Newser) - After an a-ha moment, two BFFs decide to live life to the fullest and make an epic video, which could have the wow factor and go viral, or be an epic fail. Was that an annoying sentence? The people at Lake Superior State University would likely think so, as it...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year: Austerity
Merriam-Webster's
Word of the Year: Austerity
best of 2010
Dec 20, 2010 6:20 AM CST

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year: Austerity

Runners-up include 'socialism,' 'bigot'

(Newser) - Austerity measures announced by governments across Europe this year sparked a surge in civil unrest, and a surge in people trying to find out exactly what the word means. Merriam-Webster says that, based on search trends, the noun—meaning "enforced or extreme economy"—is its word of 2010....

16 Phrases That Must Go Away by 2011

Really everyone, it's time to stop saying 'OMG'

(Newser) - Trying to think up a good New Year's resolution? Julie Gerstein would like you to consider giving up the following words and phrases—forever. From The Frisky :
  • Friend: "Not as in 'you are my friend.' Friend, as in: 'Did you friend me on Facebook yet?'"
  • Amazeballs: "Equally
...

Five Years Later, 'Truthiness' Endures

Colbert's favorite word is hotter than ever

(Newser) - It was five years ago today, and Stephen Colbert needed a word that could personify the "blowhard" persona he was about to launch on the Colbert Report. He was looking for something "sublimely idiotic," something "silly" with which to mock American pundits, writes Ben Zimmer in...

Dictionary's Vault of Rejected Words Uncovered
Dictionary's Vault
of Rejected Words Uncovered
WURFING?
Aug 6, 2010 7:02 AM CDT

Dictionary's Vault of Rejected Words Uncovered

Millions of failed words lie in Oxford room

(Newser) - Millions of words that just didn't make the cut according to the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary lie unused in a little-publicized vault owned by the Oxford University Press. The vault—whose existence was uncovered by a research student compiling a "Dictionary of Non-Words"—contains untold numbers...

5 Options to Replace 'Hipster'
 5 Options to Replace 'Hipster' 
NEW SLANG DEPT.
Mar 22, 2010 8:11 PM CDT

5 Options to Replace 'Hipster'

Gawker narrows your choices in search for new term

(Newser) - The search for a term to replace “hipster” in lexicons official and otherwise has come down to a final five, at least per Gawker, which has been behind the effort. Vote here for one of these options:
  • Doucheoisie Won 25% of the vote in early round, and, Hamilton Nolan
...

Most Overused Words of the '00s
 Most Overused 
 Words of the '00s 
DUDE, SERIOUSLY
Dec 15, 2009 12:40 PM CST

Most Overused Words of the '00s

Please, if it's not amazing, stop calling it 'amazing'

(Newser) - “OMG,” people “seriously” overused certain words and phrases this decade, and we are “over it.” Wendy Atterberry lists 25 that should be “voted off” immediately, on The Frisky :
  • “That’s what she said.”
  • “Getting anything ‘on,’ like ‘getting
...

Words Men Must Not Say

 Words Men 
 Must Not Say 
OPINION
Oct 19, 2009 2:57 PM CDT

Words Men Must Not Say

'Tummy,' 'mommy,' and 'panties,' just to name a few

(Newser) - Grown men should not say “mommy.” Or, for that matter, “tummy” or “belly button.” These things should be self-evident, but in case they aren’t, here’s Esquire’s list of words and phrases men just shouldn’t utter. Some are offensive, some overused, and...

'Web 2.0' is English's Millionth Word

A new word emerges every 98 minutes

(Newser) - The millionth word to enter the English lexicon is pure geek-speak, the Telegraph reports: Web 2.0 was entered this morning by Global Language Monitor, which recognizes words once they’ve appeared 25,000 times in the media, blogs, and social websites. The linguistic cataloger estimates that a new word...

Web Dictionary Plans to Outdo Print Cousins

New features and bigger capacity make Wordnik a revolution in lexicography

(Newser) - Ever stumbled across an unfamiliar word and wondered not only what it means, but what it looks and sounds like? Or what other words it appears alongside most often, and how many times it’s been used in print this year? The revolutionary new dictionary Wordnik, set to go online...

Oldest English Words Include 'Two,' 'Three'—But Not 'Four'

(Newser) - "I," "we," "two," and "three" have existed for tens of thousands of years, making them among the oldest words in the English language, new research reveals. Computer analysis of Indo-European languages helped isolate "the ways we think words change and their...

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