The Merriam-Webster Dictionary recently released the words from 2014 which will be added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
These new words are very diverse and reflect the changes in the way we use language today. Some countries who use a different language consider American English to be a bastard language since we dilute the language with so much slang and words which do not follow the formal structure of the “King’s English”. This view of the language is discussed in great detail in John McWhorter’s book: Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English“.
Many of the words in English are derived from Latin and Greek morphemes. In many cases words taken from Latin or Greek retain the inflectional characteristics and gender from their original languages. Thus, the masculine singular form of “alumni” is “alumnus,” while the feminine singular form is “alumna.” This example also shows that despite the retention of these Latinate forms, particularly in “learned” language, they are often discarded in casual speech, and “alumni” has come to be a singular noun as well as a plural one.
Throughout the history of English new words have been incorporated into the language through borrowing (from languages as varied as Latin, Greek, Scandinavian, Arabic, and many others) as well as through the application of morphological and derivational rules to existing words and morphemes.
Many of today’s new English words don’t follow the old patterns though. We are not “borrowing from other languages as much as creating anew. For example, check out just a few of the new words added to this year’s update of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary, and their definitions, by clicking below:
The above new words come from the good old United States. If someone makes up a new word and it sticks, that new word becomes part of our lexicon even if it doesn’t fit the pattern’s of the formal English language.
I have decided to submit the following words for consideration as they do not appear to be words recognized by Merriam-Webster:
1. Googleable. Adjective \ˈgü-gəl-bəl\
Definition: Able to be googled.
Some examples of the adjective in action include :
– searching for text on google and finding it even though the text has been deleted
Used in a sentence: Even though that text has been deleted it is still googleble.
2. Bootilicious. Adjective \ˈbü-tē-di-ˈli-shəs\
Definition: Someone who has a nice looking butt.
Used in a sentence: She has the most “bootilicious” backside I have ever seen.
What about you? Do you know of any English words which are used but not in the dictionary? Do you have any works that you just made up which you think should be used by others? If so, let’s see them!