OMG!!! Oxford English Dictionary adding LOL!!!

[Sapplicant]

FYI.

 

[Sigger]

Sad

 

[Neill McKay]

Sad

Sort of.  The OED is a descriptive dictionary, so it documents the language as it's used and does not pass judgment on how good, or not, a word is.  It doesn't purport to say what's right -- only what is being written and spoken by a broad segment of society.

You can't write to them and say "here's a new word I invented" and have it added to the OED.  The only way to get in is for a word to be adopted "in the wild".

 

[ballz]

I don't see what's sad about it. All languages constantly change to adapt to the demands of communication.

 

[Journeyman]

I don't see what's sad about it. All languages constantly change to adapt to the demands of communication.

As N.McKay noted, the OED is descriptive rather than judgemental; they leave that to opinionated people like me. 

What's sad about it is that it is further evidence of the dumbing down of society (take any doubts to a perusal of the Recruiting threads), and how ostensibly literate society will soon be left with little beyond, "meh, whatever dude."

I'm reminded of Mike Judge's low-grade comedy Idiocracy.  Sad to think it may someday be viewed as a prescient documentary......if there were anyone left to know those terms.

 

[Michael OLeary]

What's sad about it is that it is further evidence of the dumbing down of society (take any doubts to a perusal of the Recruiting threads), and how ostensibly literate society will soon be left with little beyond, "meh, whatever dude."

I don't know if our society is less literate than it has previously been, in the sense that personal apathy is the driving factor in some people's avoidance of understanding language and using it effectively.  What we do have, through modern means such as the Internet, is an accessible capability for those people to reveal themselves. Whenever I was on house hunting trips for postings, I would occasionally go through a house for sale and, beyond looking at the structure, would be struck by the internal question "where are the books." They've always been among us.

 

[Dissident]

Meh.

I'll get worked up when they start taking words out of the dictionary.

 

[Sapplicant]

...I'm reminded of Mike Judge's low-grade comedy Idiocracy.  Sad to think it may someday be viewed as a prescient documentary...

There's that fag talk we talked about...

 

[ballz]

Meh.

I'll get worked up when they start taking words out of the dictionary.

I really don't agree that this is "further evidence of the dumbing down of society." I was told by an English prof about how we went from Victorian-style to the modern Commerce-style (clear and concise) language we have now. It's just cause and effect. A new medium was created, and the effect is a new style to suit that medium. Languages always evolve/adapt to suit the communication needs of the users.

Would it make sense for somebody in Britain to say that our "bastardized version of english" in comparison to theirs (what we originally spoke) is evidence that we are a dumber society?

There is plenty of good evidence out there of the dumbing down of society, I don't see the need to seek what isn't there in this case.

 

[Scott]

Would it make sense for somebody in Britain to say that our "bastardized version of english" in comparison to theirs (what we originally spoke) is evidence that we are a dumber society?

You've never been sent a text message by someone from the UK. They have their own ways of bastardizing the same things we do.

 

[Sigger]

maybe they should put : ) in the dictionary.. maybe even ;-]
'LOL' is not a word.. or rather, it never used to be. If I had a conversation with someone, y'know, the old fashioned way, and they said "lol", I would neck punch them.

 

[midget-boyd91]

. If I had a conversation with someone, y'know, the old fashioned way, and they said "lol", I would neck punch them.

Lol



 


Hehehehe

 

[kratz]

With these additions to the dictionary, these slang terms OMG and LOL would now be acceptable for use on the site.  :stirpot:

 

[mariomike]

With these additions to the dictionary, these slang terms OMG and LOL would now be acceptable for use on the site.  :stirpot:

I just use the "Internet Slang Dictionary & Translator" for those posts:
http://www.noslang.com/

 

[ballz]

maybe they should put : ) in the dictionary.. maybe even ;-]
'LOL' is not a word.. or rather, it never used to be. If I had a conversation with someone, y'know, the old fashioned way, and they said "lol", I would neck punch them.

Haha I literally say "oh em gee" and "W-T-F" and whatnot in real conversation haha. You can neck punch if you want, but I punch back >

 

[the 48th regulator]

With these additions to the dictionary, these slang terms OMG and LOL would now be acceptable for use on the site.  :stirpot:

LOL,

That makes me  :rofl:

dileas

tess

 

[Journeyman]

Haha I literally say "oh em gee" and "W-T-F" and whatnot in real conversation haha.

And do you wear your I Discs on the outside of your shirt all the time....'cause chicks dig it? 

 

[Sigger]

And do you wear your I Discs on the outside of your shirt all the time....'cause chicks dig it? 

OMG..LOL!


Edit.. FYI: Now, I feel dirty

 

[HavokFour]

The more practical "buttload" and "nom nom" were added last month. ;D

 

[armyvern]

With these additions to the dictionary, these slang terms OMG and LOL would now be acceptable for use on the site.  :stirpot:

Ironic is it not that 'OMG' and 'LOL' are merely acronyms ... something that the CF is famous for using and even has publications (the ALM or DND or CF something or other ...) outlining their usage & meaning.  IAW site policy, MTF on this from the mods I am quite sure.  >