Dissertation writing can be an arduous process, obvs. It can also be enlightening about your use of language. Do you know how many times I’ve used the word “influence” in my dissertation draft? Fifty-two times. FIFTY-TWO. Sure, we are all studying the influence of one thing on another, but I often find myself overusing the same words and finding myself at odds with the suggestions the thesaurus provides. To spruce up my use of language a bit, I’ve recently been turning to online dictionaries. But, as using the Internet is a black hole that destroys all potential productivity on my dissertation, the search for online dictionaries led me to some interesting news articles about words being added to these dictionaries. And let me tell you, the list is really ridic.
It is important for these companies to update their lexicon and stay relevant regarding the way that people are using language. Many of the new words are being added to dictionaries as a result of a need for a name for an action that didn’t exist before the growth of social networks and smart phones (e.g. “hashtag” for all the “tweeps” out there.). But many new words are simply due to the colloquial nature of communication via instant messages and texts. It is much faster to abbreviate long words when you are typing them. This is especially true when text messaging was a cumbersome task undertaken on a 9-key flip-phone; on such a phone, typing a word like “ridiculous” would require you to press 26 keys. Of course, in that case, everyone is going to type “ridic.”
However, I’m not so sure that I agree with the use of abbrevs (okay, I took a liberty there. But every other word I’ve used so far, minus the title of the post, can be found in one dictionary or another) to create entirely “new” words in the dictionary. Isn’t it a little ridic that ridic is a word in the dictionary? Ridic: Def. ridiculous. Isn’t it strange that I can say “mwahahaha, now I can use f-bombs in my dissertation” and be speaking in acceptable English? Thank you, Oxford and Merriam-Webster.
What’s next, subbing numbers for similar sounding words? Maybe I’m just a h8er, but I think this is going beyond the scope of a dictionary by incorporating things that are written in informal messages due to the constraints of the method of communication (e.g. to shorten the typing process or to convey verbal sounds that would not be spoken if the conversation were taking place face to face). “Mwahahaha” is something that would be, at best, a sound that would naturally occur in conversation. To convey this maniacal laughter via text, sure, you need to spell out “mwahahaha,” but I would certainly not have thought to classify it as a new word. With the increasing growth of informal written communication via text messages, common conversational sounds, particularly laughter, are increasingly translated into words to communicate a response that the other person cannot see. Does this make it a word? I’ve certainly written my share of “lol” and even “mwahahaha,” but never considered that I’d find them a dictionary. Well, here it is:
Image may be NSFW.
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It is interesting that language is developing this way, but at the same time I question the need to add all of these colloquial terms to a formal dictionary. In the 90’s, we never saw popular words like “ginormous” or “chillax” make the cut. What has changed that similarly used words are now being added to dictionaries? Is it merely the frequency with which they are written, rather than spoken verbally?
While using online dictionaries was an interesting experience, it led me on quite a tangent from the task of finding a substitute for the word “influence.” I most likely won’t be using f-bomb in my dissertation. But, in closing, I have some words of advice for the other doctoral students out there. Make sure you keep snacks handy while writing your dissertation, because you don’t want to get hangry. You know, “irritable as a result of feeling hungry.” It will put a real damper on the writing process. Although, it might be nice to quit school and be funemployed. Whatevs.
