Tracking The (English) Words We Use

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Tracking The (English) Words We Use

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Monday September 20, 2004 @01:10AM from the interesting-models dept.

Zugok writes "Wordcount.org has an interactive presentation of the 86,800 most frequently used English words. In addition they have Query Count which is a dynamic database of what are the most queried words on Wword Count. Then there is the conspiracy corner where certain words seems to end up in some sort of eerie order. Cowboy comes 14834 and Neal comes 18928. Bebop comes 70673."

14 of 332 comments (clear)

Love Hate by richardoz · 2004-09-20 01:15 · Score: 5, Insightful

At least love @384 ranks above hate @3107

I think the world isn't so bad...

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All the worlds indeed a .sig, and we are mearly players..
1. Re:Love Hate by bizpile · 2004-09-20 01:19 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  At least love @384 ranks above hate @3107
  
  But war(304) beats peace(1155).
2. Re:Love Hate by KRYnosemg33 · 2004-09-20 01:21 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Sure, but what you fail to realize is that the word is most often used in the following cases:
  "I love Britney Spears"
  "I love M. Jackson"
  "I loved Gigli"
  "I love [insert political candidate] because of [insert extremely dumbass reason]"
  You realize the world isn't the poetic and romantic place you think it is.
NSFW! by welshwaterloo · 2004-09-20 01:17 · Score: 5, Informative

In case anyone's curious at work - don't click the link to see what other people are searching for.
I mean, I guess I should've known, but I didn't expect the font size to be so damned *large*!

(Not, of course that anyone would waste work time by reading /.)
You know this world is in trouble by Lispy · 2004-09-20 01:17 · Score: 5, Insightful

when the word "money" makes place 227 while "love" is at 384. Or maybe I am just turning into some sort of postmodern hippie. ;-)
1. Re:You know this world is in trouble by ceeam · 2004-09-20 01:31 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I love money.
Re:gee.. by drunkennewfiemidget · 2004-09-20 01:18 · Score: 5, Funny

You're grossly over-estimating the general public. ;)
Flash!? by avalys · 2004-09-20 01:20 · Score: 5, Insightful

It would be nice if the list were available in plaintext form, instead of this slow and miserable Flash presentation.

This is a prime example of Flash being misused. It's not needed at all, and only serves to slow things down. It also makes it impossible to use the data for anything useful.

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Re:Flash? by Astrorunner · 2004-09-20 01:21 · Score: 5, Funny

"WordCount was designed with a minimalist aesthetic, to let the information speak for itself."

Which explains their logical use of Flash.
Re:Nice flash by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-20 01:24 · Score: 5, Interesting

Except it is one of the most annoying interfaces I've used. There's no way to know what you're suppose to click on, and there's limited space that displays like 3 words at a time in a giant font. I would prefer to see even the most rudimentary HTML so I could scroll through a list of 100's or 1000's of words at a time.
Re:Nice flash by rdc_uk · 2004-09-20 01:26 · Score: 5, Interesting

Pretty,
but possibly the most useless UI for list-format data ever; I can only read the first (counts) 19 entries, (can't read the numbers after 10). After that you have to do random sampling.

Browsable Lists - the past and future of basic data presentation!
Re:I like my tin foil in the microwave please by Stargoat · 2004-09-20 01:29 · Score: 5, Funny

Funny that you mention this, because they'll definitely be adding the verb "slashdotted" after today.

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Hoist Number One and Number Six.
Re:Flash? by alatesystems · 2004-09-20 01:36 · Score: 5, Insightful

I really am sick of sites that require flash to get actual information. It should be part of the usability guidelines of the web that information be required to be in at least format.

Take these two sites for example. I work in the healthcare profession and we don't run our machines as administrators, and flash isn't installed default on Win2k. When you go to Ochsner's Health Plan website, you can't do anything unless we, as administrators, log in and install flash for them from the activex control, just to log in as a provider.

Also, Houston RoadRunner is the exact same.

I hate flash, a lot, and It annoys me because you can't manipulate fonts, you can't use scroll wheel most of the time, all the control is taken AWAY from the user. I love flash when used for hilarious web cartoons, but using it for content is ridiculous.

Chris
Word flashmobs by G4from128k · 2004-09-20 01:37 · Score: 5, Interesting

Perhaps sites like this will encourage the creation of word flashmobs. A group of people would conspire to overuse some obscure word to boost its rating. Bombing the word within blogs, web pages, and postings might help the word spread into wider use and rise in the rankings. It could even be a competitive sport -- two teams pick two words of adjacent rank and the team whose word rises the most wins.

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Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.