Our Father which art in Washington? sayeth:
In that there was little interest in playing computer games in 1630, this (the use of "gamer" to describe one who plays them) is an example not of a neologism but of a neo-use-ism -- is there a proper word for that?I suspect there is now.
"Gamer", used in the sense you suggested is unknown in the Land of the Long Grey Rainstorm. However, we do say that someone who attempted to do something against the odds is "game", adjectivally speaking. I would have thought this usage was pretty widespread. Or it could be a Zild neouseism.
Neouseism (the noun) gives rise to neouse (a verb). This appears, consonantal drift, vowel-flattening and every other kind of linguistic device taken in to account, to work. Perhaps tsuwm will wish to add it to his list.
