New English Words
Each time the Webster’s English dictionary is updated, new meanings and words officially enter the language. This year Merriam-Webster has added 150 new words and definitions to its 2014 Collegiate Dictionary. We have selected 15 of them to share with our readers, reflecting everything from the foods we eat to the way we communicate using technology. How many of these words do you use already?
Business & The Internet | New English Words
With our increased dependence on the internet, new terms have crept into our vocabulary which relate to how we do business with the computer. Among these are:
Crowdfunding: the practice of soliciting financial contributions from a large number of people, especially from the online community.
Big Data: an accumulation of data that is too large and complex for processing by traditional database management tools.
Gamification: the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (as a task), so as to encourage participation.
Online Dating | New English Words
In case you thought a catfish is a type of fish that you find swimming near coastal waters, you may be surprised to know that it has taken on an entirely new meaning:
Catfish: a technology-related term, refers to a person who sets up a false social networking profile for deceptive purposes.
The word catfish in this context became known mostly from the documentary and television series with the same name. This American reality MTV television series is about the truths and lies of online dating. In the series, based on the 2010 film Catfish, the film’s producers help couples who have never met in real life find out if the person they are developing an online relationship with is legitimate or if they are, in fact, a “catfish”.
Twitter & Other Social Media | New English Words
New words that demonstrate our dependence on social media as a primary form of communication include:
Tweep: a person who uses the Twitter online message service to send and receive messages.
Selfie: an image of oneself taken by oneself using a digital camera especially for posting on social networks.
Hashtag: a word or phrase preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text (such as a tweet).
Culinary Words
New culinary terms that have been adopted into the English language this year include various ethnic foods as well as some innovative ones:
Pho: a Vietnamese soup made of beef or chicken broth and rice noodles.
Turducken: a boneless chicken stuffed into a boneless duck stuffed into a boneless turkey.
Poutine: a Canadian favorite dish of French fries covered with brown gravy and cheese curds.
Politically Correct Terms
Words that refer to actions or people in newly adopted politically correct terms include:
Freegan: an activist who scavenges for free food (as in waste receptacles at stores and restaurants) as a means of reducing consumption of resources.
Fracking: the injection of fluid into shale beds at high pressure in order to free up petroleum resources (such as oil or natural gas).
Yooper: a nickname used for a native or resident of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Electronic Music Making
And last but not least, here are some new words which define how we refer to music:
Auto-Tune: a proprietary signal processor, to adjust or alter (a recording of a voice) with Auto-Tune software or other audio-editing software, especially to correct sung notes that are out of tune, and
Dubstep: a type of electronic dance music having prominent bass lines and syncopated drum patterns.
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