July 29, 2007

English Language Nazis Can Take a Seat

7:32 pm | Culture

With the addition of “ginormous” to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, what once was a pseudo-word used only by youngsters and Will Ferrell fans has finally gotten clean. I saw the word on a billboard on the way home from church recently, and to be honest it doesn’t look good. It’s an ugly-looking word, for a number of reasons. At this point such speculation is spilled milk of course, and language nazis should just start hoping that “gimungous” or “hunormous” don’t make it into the dictionary as well.

Comments

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Mark

Comment on July 30, 2007 @ 8:53 pm

Well, peachy. We may as well take the English language out back and shoot it dead.

Steven Carr

Comment on August 1, 2007 @ 2:51 pm

Wait until Fo’ shizzle my nizzle is in the Merriam-Wbester.

Charles

Comment on August 2, 2007 @ 1:17 am

Merriam-Webster has been critized for not upholding “standard” english since the 60’s. Webster is still more “exclusive”, I believe. In fact, the American Heritage Dictionary was created in a response to Mirriam-Webster. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)

Other “dangerous” words added a few months ago: “Perfect storm,” “IED,” “Bollywood” and “telenovela”.

Charles

Comment on August 2, 2007 @ 1:18 am

Sorry… I meant to say that I think Oxford is more exclusive, not Webster. :)

Steph

Comment on August 4, 2007 @ 7:21 pm

I like language. Language is interesting. It’s fun to use cool words. Sadly, I think I spend more time rehearsing cool things to say than actually saying them.

Bonnie

Comment on August 5, 2007 @ 3:52 pm

My brother uses words that are not considered “proper” and when my sister corrects him he says they’ll soon be in the dictionary, so why not say them?

Czarina

Comment on August 24, 2007 @ 11:06 pm

You’re very hostile towards a Church you know nothing about. I’m praying that God’s grace will open your mind to the Truth. I don’t think Christ intented Christians to be so hostile to another Christians.

The sister who is always out of town

Comment on August 28, 2007 @ 10:45 pm

Great scott, where’d that come from?
I believe that there will be an eventual falling in to the dark ages, because people will not be able to read books.
Then there will be a return to the feudal system, as all the smart people will legislate the not-so-with-it ones into serfdom.

James

Comment on August 30, 2007 @ 12:35 pm

Hey Czarina (Katherine from before, right?). I’m not hostile to Roman Catholics; I’m only hostile towards the serious errors in the Roman Catholic teachings, because I’m a truth-seeker just like you. I will admit that sometimes my posts take on an aggressive nature and the post you’re referencing was one of the more aggressive ones.

Liz

Comment on August 30, 2007 @ 2:45 pm

I am not Czarina or Katherine!

I am however praying for the true salvation of your soul. Watch out you Catholic hater, come on!

Doda

Comment on October 27, 2008 @ 4:28 pm

Good words.

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