Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4
#108559 07/23/03 03:30 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
tsuwm Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
this is one of the words which made it into MWCD-11. do you agree with this article that they rushed the gun by including this?

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1201408,00.asp


#108560 07/23/03 03:59 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Perhaps you could make of it a wwftd.


#108561 07/23/03 04:02 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
D
dxb Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
No, I don't think I agree. There are many terms that are not relevant to modern life but can be found in the dictionary although admittedly they were probably in use for more than five years. But the significance of the phenomenon (or whatever) to which the word referred must also play a part in the decision as to whether to store it up for posterity. The 'dotcom' fiasco probably falls into the same category as the 'South Sea Bubble'; that stock market crash dates back to 1720 and is still taught in History lessons. I suspect that in the future the 'dotcom' crash may also be taught.

For some stuff on the SSB see:

http://www.dal.ca/~dmcneil/sketch.html


#108562 07/23/03 04:19 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Aside from the overall rush of the 'information age' *seemingly promoting/teaching common usage at an exponential rate (which may justify its inclusion), I imagine there are a number of slang (which is what I would call it) werds and spellings with a similar "distribution x frequency x age" product.

This one just ain't that special.


#108563 07/23/03 11:04 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Yes - probably too rushed: how useful a piece of our language will it be in another ten years? But that seems to fit with the frame of reference, too!

Now we could mebbe use dot-conner to refer to all those modern South Sea Bubblers who could see no further than the stinking riches of the IPO...

or dot-comma for the multitudes who sprinkle their langauge with a haphazard scattering of puctuation marks without regard to intelligibility or style...




#108564 07/23/03 11:34 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
or dot-calm, when the computer gets shut off for the night...



formerly known as etaoin...
#108565 07/24/03 10:58 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
B
old hand
Offline
old hand
B
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
But the significance of the phenomenon (or whatever) to which the word referred must also play a part in the decision as to whether to store it up for posterity.

I've been thinking about this since I first read this thread...what if someone starts to read old newspaper articles in 20 years, for a research project, and needs to know what "dot-commer" means? Even if the word has fallen out of use, it is still useful to have recorded its meaning. Haven't you ever read a book with an archaic word and looked it up, and been (a) thrilled it was in the dictionary anyway, or (b) annoyed because it wasn't?


#108566 07/24/03 11:10 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Very good .comment Bean.


#108567 07/24/03 12:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Good thinking indeed, Bean! [nod of approval]
maverick--


#108568 07/24/03 01:29 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Maverick, that was so subtle I had to go back and re-read after Jackie's post!

Bean, I agree with you. Now how 'bout we further refine it and have "dot-com" as the main entry with the adjectival form listed in that entry (as is the usual way)?




Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5