BS: New words

Subject: BS: New words
From: beardedbruce
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:36 AM

"New dictionary includes 'ginormous'

By ADAM GORLICK, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 10, 7:33 PM ET



SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - It was a ginormous year for the wordsmiths at Merriam-Webster. Along with embracing the adjective that combines "gigantic" and "enormous," the dictionary publishers also got into Bollywood, sudoku and speed dating.

But their interest in India's motion-picture industry, number puzzles and trendy ways to meet people was all meant for a higher cause: updating the company's collegiate dictionary, which goes on sale this fall with about 100 newly added words.

As always, the yearly list gives meaning to the latest lingo in pop culture, technology and current events.

There's "crunk," a style of Southern rap music; the abbreviated "DVR," for digital video recorder; and "IED," shorthand for the improvised explosive devices that have become common in the war in Iraq.

If it sounds as though Merriam-Webster is dropping its buttoned-down image with too much talk of "smackdowns" (contests in entertainment wrestling) and "telenovelas" (Latin-American soap operas), consider it also is adding "gray literature" (hard-to-get written material) and "microgreen" (a shoot of a standard salad plant.)

No matter how odd some of the words might seem, the dictionary editors say each has the promise of sticking around in the American vocabulary.

"There will be linguistic conservatives who will turn their nose up at a word like `ginormous,'" said John Morse, Merriam-Webster's president. "But it's become a part of our language. It's used by professional writers in mainstream publications. It clearly has staying power."

One of those naysayers is Allan Metcalf, a professor of English at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill., and the executive secretary of the American Dialect Society.

"A new word that stands out and is ostentatious is going to sink like a lead balloon," he said. "It might enjoy a fringe existence."

But Merriam-Webster traces ginormous back to 1948, when it appeared in a British dictionary of military slang. And in the past several years, its use has become, well, ginormous.

Visitors to the Springfield-based dictionary publisher's Web site picked "ginormous" as their favorite word that's not in the dictionary in 2005, and Merriam-Webster editors have spotted it in countless newspaper and magazine articles since 2000.

That's essentially the criteria for making it into the collegiate dictionary — if a word shows up often enough in mainstream writing, the editors consider defining it.

But as editor Jim Lowe puts it: "Nobody has to use `ginormous' if they don't want to."

For the record, he doesn't"

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:38 AM

I must not read the same newspapers as they do, since I have never seen or heard of the word before.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:38 AM

Springfield-based


Now there's another whole other thread!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 09:19 AM

"`ginormous'"

was around from the late 70s early 80s in Brisbane...

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: JennyO
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 09:29 AM

So is humungous in there?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Amos
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 09:51 AM

And what about "dis-fuckin-bloody-screpancy", used by all my favourite Australian analysts and mechanics? Hmmm?



A

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Mr Happy
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 10:06 AM

'ginormous' = a large gin, obviously!

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: SharonA
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 10:44 AM

Jenny, Webster does list "humongous". I don't know when it was added but I recall that it happened several years ago.

The Webster website says "Date: circa 1967" but that's the date that it is supposed to have come into common usage, isn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 11:13 AM

Hmmmm...I'd never heard it before, either. Interesting.

Reminds me of the most excellent book, Professor and the Madman< a Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: philgarringer
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 11:18 AM

I have been trying to get the word "splorange" into general use.

SPLORANGE
noun
Definition: the only word that rhymes with "orange".

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: JennyO
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 11:47 AM

Well that's reason enough to include it, in my opinion. It would nicely solve the problem that has long plagued poets who could not find a rhyme for orange.

There once was a poet from Splorange
Who wanted to write about orange
Saying "pumpkin" or "rust"
Just filled her with disgust
That fussy old poet from Splorange.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 01:14 PM

Ah - but what did Mirriam & Webster say about great-uncle?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Amos
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 01:44 PM

There actually was a perfectly good poem somewhere on the 'Cat written with a line which rhymed with orange. I forget what it said, though...

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:42 PM

If "orange" is such a problem, one could just use the correct name:

Citrus aurantium . . . .(?)

John

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:51 PM

Splorange - the action of orange juice on opening one of those bloody awful cardboard cartons with the plastic "easy open" nozzle that isn't.

flustard - an egg based dessert that has been left in the open too long and acquired millions of tiny black specks that aren't chocolate flavoured and the ability to hum.

moggits - those nasty little wriggly things found in the bottom of the cat basket.

scrunge - I always thought this was the act of screwing up ones face, but according to t'internet, it's a house hold scrubber. Nuff sed.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 04:49 PM

There's a perfectly good rhyme for orange - the surname Gorringe. A Google search throws up 211,000 entries in response to the name.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 04:52 PM

I coined a new one, today...well new in our household at least. As one cat sat on the corner of my desk, statue-still like Bast and the other hunkered above me on the monitor, both of them looking at me with willing eyes, willing me to share my food with them, and the dog sat on the floor beside me and looked on with soulful, please-give-me-eyes, I told them all to "Stop, vulturing me!" (ala Snoopy on his doghouse)

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Becca72
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:38 PM

LOL...good one, kat. been there myself a time or 2.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: GUEST,ibo
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:50 PM

fuddlydook,meaning to fuddle your dook,which can only be used during the game of fuddle,which is common place around the city of york

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:08 PM

Thurber described this kind of stuff as neologism, or carcinomenclature

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:31 PM

GUEST has an interesting comment - what words can be used to describe 'nothing to say' - as distinct from 'nothing useful to say'?

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 11:16 AM

We use the verb "vultch" to descript tghe act of a cat overlooking things.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 03:17 PM

Scrunge- a mishearing of scrunch, which has been in print since 1790.
See OED for the several meanings.
Do not confuse with scrunt.
The internet has much spurious material.

To keep the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary within hand-held size, it must be selective, unlike the Oxford English Dictionary, which was up to 20 volumes in the 1989 edition. The compact edition was 4 volumes in 1991, magnifier required. They also have Concise etc. editions which are very selective.

In the OED, we already have vulturian, vulturine, vulturish, vulturizing, vulturous, vulturism.
And for actions like a fox, all those 'vulpine' words.

Vultch begs for confusion with vult, vultuous, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 06:10 PM

I'm somewhat surprised to see that nobody so far has cited the classic use--perfect for Mudcat--of "ginormous"--from one of my favorite Middle Bar songs. Also surprised to see it's not in Digitrad.

From "Dorset Is Beautiful"

As best I can recall, the verse in question goes something like:

Oh, Betsy's my girlfriend and I loves her so
Hers as big as an 'aystack, and 40 years old
Farmer says she's ginormous, and loud do he scoff
For you has to leave a chalk mark to show where you left off.

I can just hear Tony or another MBS belting it out-- and we all come in on the chorus.

Maybe a MBS can correct my lyrics.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 06:16 PM

Scrunt - that noise that means you've backed into a wall and will need to spend lots on new bumbers or possibly a wing.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Rowan
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 07:14 PM

It appears the Webster may be centred on the US of it dates Humongous before Ginormous. The circles I moved in during the early to mid 60s (mostly Melbourne-based) used the latter and I recall the former arriving later. But then, I'm also an anachronism who thinks that a lot of the stuff that Australians associate with the 60s didn't actually become mainstream in Oz until 1970 so, beware.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Splott Man
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 10:32 AM

It's been said on a previous thread, but the Blorenge is a hill in south Wales. Put that with orange and Gorringe and you've got the makings of a limerick.

There's been an interesting series on BBC2 recently, called Balderdash and Piffle, where the presenter, Victoria Coren, with the solicited help of the public, goes in search of earlier citings of certain words and phrases than the OED has listed.

For instance, the OED now has the earliest published citing of the word Wassock as Mike Harding's LP One Man Show.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 08:31 PM

Scrunt- anything stunted or worn out. OED

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 10:14 PM

I've never heard "scrunge" before, but I like it. It describes those little dishwashing sponges with a scrubber on one side perfectly. I can't stand the items themselves - give me a stand-alone scrubber and a regular dishcloth any day - but I like the word.

It reminds me of "scrench", the combination tool that comes with a chainsaw. It's basically a sparkplug wrench with a screwdriver shaft welded onto it.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 04:26 AM

Also 'scrunt' - a person of doubtful parentage who is responsible for backing into your car and making that sound.

Flabble - to flabble, flabbling, flabbled. The action of a very large, flabby person or animal trying to get up from mud or a bean bag chair. E.g., "The cat flabbled helplessly before simply rolling off the sofa."


LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 05:08 AM

A family word used by habit in another thread, pointed out to me by Richard Bridge....


'Ostrichised' - being excluded by polite society and sticking one's head in the sand about it. To 'ostrichise' yourself means never getting invited to parties but not giving a hoot about it.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Dave Earl
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 05:56 AM

Ron said:-

"I can just hear Tony or another MBS belting it out-- and we all come in on the chorus."

Yes Ron it normally gets an "outing" (relatively new word but different context)in the Middle Bar evrry Sidmouth Festival.After all we do have a dedicated Darzit Nite dunnus.

Will we see you this year?

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 11:17 AM

Sorry Dave, I have to correct you.

The correct way to say it would be 'Us do be havin' a dedicated Darzet noite dounnus you?!'

Although why you would have a Dorset night in a Devon pub is beyond me, unless, like myself, the instigator is a Darzet Dumplin' in exile.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 11:37 AM

Calcasity.

The attitude that some Californians have regarding the supposed superiority of California life.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: cookster
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 07:42 PM

Here's one for you Flustrated....My mom hates it.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: cookster
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 08:22 PM

What do you think?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: bobad
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 08:28 PM

Can you use it in a sentence?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: cookster
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 08:30 PM

Yes.I'm getting flustrated with my computer[metaphorically speaking].

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: bobad
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:14 PM

How about chillaxing, or is it not considered new any longer in these times of short lived phenomena?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: cookster
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:23 PM

Not anymore I haven't heard anyone say it.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: bobad
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:25 PM

Well, you know us old guys are a little slow in keeping up with the latest.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Peace
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:27 PM

Yeah. Bobad's right. Some things just ain't groovy today.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: bobad
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:30 PM

You said it daddy-o.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: cookster
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 09:00 PM

Oh brother.

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: bobad
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 09:03 PM

Where art thou?

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: cookster
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 09:09 PM

In the ground....

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Amos
Date: 16 Jun 09 - 08:22 PM

"IN THE FLOWERING of Elizabethan English, Shakespeare coined or is credited with first putting into script nearly 2,000 new words. Many passed into common use; for example:

courtship
bet
swagger
frugal
tranquil
yelping
instinctively

Other of the bard's words didn't catch on; for example:

affined
credent
virgined
mered

New language occurs everyday, and most of us have a favorite word or two we've coined. Here are some modern-day neologisms, which may or may not find their way into the dictionary:

Gup  n  Acronym for grace under pressure.  [Coined by Margaret Atwood]

Soracious  adj  a desolate wit; intellectual humor fueled by desperation.  [Edward Hirsch]

Oedify  v  To request further information on word usage.  [Jose Yglesias]

Verity  n  Factual writing; nonfiction.  [Richard Rhodes]
"

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jun 09 - 09:45 PM

I'm waiting for them to accept AFGO by our own Bat Goddess

Afgo n. another fucking growth opportunity; trials and tribulations which make one stronger, supposedly

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Rowan
Date: 17 Jun 09 - 12:45 AM

"Thrutch" (verb) became common in rock climbing circles in Oz during the mid60s; it's a combination of "thrust" and "clutch" (usually with "panic" as implied context) and I remember using to describe my main reason for getting contact lenses. I was thrutching my way through a bit of shrub 150' up a climb at Arapiles when my glasses were flicked onto my shoulder, despite having tied them on.

Without them I couldn't focus sufficiently on holds above me for the 30' needed to get to the top, nor could I focus sufficiently on footholds below my feet. I could have just "tied off" on a belay and abseiled down but my rope was only the standard 120' long, leaving a 30' drop to deal with at the bottom of the rope.

I booked myself into the Optometry College as soon as I got back to Melbourne, and there hangs another tale.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: New words
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Jun 09 - 08:50 PM

Hitch-hiking on the post by Amos, the late 16th and early 17th centuries were a time when the English language took on many new words. The arts including theater, music and poetry were thriving.

One of those contributing was Randall Cotgrave, whose dictionary of English and Latin in 1611 contained a number of words that he coined.
One was niche. He saw the small recesses on Italian or Italianate buildings called nicchio (muschel shell). In France, a sort of small grotto or recess, often with a religious statue, was called a niche.
He combined the Italian idea with the French spelling.
I got interested in that word because English-speaking Canadians sometimes try to use the other Canadian language and incorrectly give the word the pronunciation "neesh."

Cotgrave included words attributed to Shakespeare and other writers, esp. Jonson ("The Alchemist"), of the time. His dictionary was an important precursor to Samuel Johnson's opus (1755).

Writers have been speaking of historical verity, verity as conforming to fact, etc. since the 17th c., so I don't think Rhodes "factual writing" definition is really new.