Friday, March 25, 2011

Yesterday's Update to OED

  The Oxford English Dictionary published its new word list yesterday, including the verb to heart as in the famous NY logo. A couple of weeks ago I saw this usage in a program title on GMA Manila TV and experienced some cognitive discomfort, the noun feeling awkward used as a verb. This OED article offers several spins on how people come to prefer usages such as this and OMG, LOL, and FYI, which are new in this OED. These initialisms occur a lot in my natural online communication. It seems I'm always editing them out, occasionally leaving them. How about you? Do you like or lament the fluidity of language change? Do you believe that SMS text shortcuts and spell-checkers are creating generations of illiterate barbarians? :-)Another whimsical fave is the 10-second rule for food morsels fallen on the floor, now in an OED near you!MatalasCo -- Your BFF with a sharper idea for your online presence