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"New" Words From the Geek Culture

Posted by kdawson on from the bonny-earl-of-murray dept.

thatskinnyguy sends news of Merriam-Webster's 2008 list of new words and, to no-one's surprise, a good number of them come out of geek culture: words like webinar, malware, netroots, pretexting, and fanboy are now official words according to M-W. The CNet article pulls out one "new" word for special appreciation — mondegreen — and, while the article gets the origin right, it ends with a lame call for readers to send in their favorite mondegreens. (CNet does have the good grace to link the Kiss This Guy site.) SFGate columnist Jon Carroll has been collecting readers' mondegreens since 1995 and his list is bound to be better. Quoting Carroll, in a prophetic mode: "This space has been for some years the chief publicity agent for mondegreens. The Oxford English Dictionary has not yet seen the light, but it will, it will." Would you believe, Merriam-Webster's?

32 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. Is it wrong... by ickoonite · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...that I don't know what almost all these words mean? What is a "webinar" for example? I guess I'm just not cool anymore... :|

    1. Re:Is it wrong... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Webinar : Seminar on the web, usually using youtube, flash or some other video/podcast like medium.

    2. Re:Is it wrong... by Freaky+Spook · · Score: 5, Funny

      What is a "webinar" for example?

      It was invented by a group of HR people. They needed a cool new word for "webcast", so people wouldn't get angry when they found out that instead of spending a week at retreat on professional development, they were to be locked in a room with a projector instead.

    3. Re:Is it wrong... by Brain+Damaged+Bogan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "web seminar" it's not a geek term at all, but a marketing one. my old boss used to love these damn things and every time he'd say the word "webinar" a peice of me died a little inside

      --
      -- Sex is the antonym of pringles. Once you pop it's time to stop.
    4. Re:Is it wrong... by flaming+error · · Score: 5, Funny

      webinar, n:
      1) something formed by or as if by weaving. There's a spider webinar garage

    5. Re:Is it wrong... by TheMidnight · · Score: 5, Funny

      I find it egregious that it took until 2007 to add "w00t" to the dictionary. I was using w00t back in the Warcraft II and Command & Conquer days.

      Now if you'll excuse me, I have some juvenile delinquents that I need to evict from my grass.

    6. Re:Is it wrong... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Even if you can guess what it means, it's always good fun to pounce on neologisms and jargon and grill the user why they are using them instead of a more traditional word. My Dad told me a great story. He worked for the University which was under pressure from its new Thatcher appointed Vice Chancellor to be more 'commercially oriented' while no one really knew in practice what this meant. The VC gave a speech full or management consultancyisms and uses the word proactive. Someone stood up and asked him if he meant active. The VC blusters and the questioner keeps arguing. After a very long time the VC says "ok, you win I meant active". The questioner sat down. The VC delivered the rest of the speech without much enthusiasm and left without allowing questions from the floor.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    7. Re:Is it wrong... by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

      Unfortunately the parent's name is unknown, or we'd have a good candidate for a new word to denote a dim pillock who explains jokes. And, while the angels weep, gets modded up for it.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    8. Re:Is it wrong... by Joebert · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't care who you are, that's fox worthy right there.

      --
      Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
    9. Re:Is it wrong... by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

      If I was VC and some little tosspot interrupted me like that, I'd tell him to fuck right off. You can do that when you're VC.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    10. Re:Is it wrong... by MrNemesis · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Primarily because, in my experience, most users of the word "pro-active" are unaware of it's anti-reactive connotations and use it to describe singularly reactive situations ("I want us to respond to this pro-actively"), or even in just syntax-ruining "I've learnt a cool new word" non-sequiturs ("our new rubber grommets have a 100% pro-active paradigm"). In other words, I'm convinced that alot of people use it because they think it sounds More Important than "active" or lack the vocabulary to better describe it.

      It's kinda acceptable in most sysadmin circles as most geeks are aware of things like "pro-active" support (I prefer to call it preventative maintenance myself since it means less fuzzyness for the recipient, which we abbreviate to premaint in conversation) but neologisms are mostly a matter of taste. /spot the word-snob ;)

      --
      Moderation Total: -1 Troll, +3 Goat
    11. Re:Is it wrong... by owlnation · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No, I don't think webinar's geek word... it sounds disturbingly like a... BUZZWORD!

      Disown it!

      And seriously, what does mondegreen have to do with geek either -- nor is it in any way a new word. This seems like a another sockpuppet article designed to generate traffic for a website.

    12. Re:Is it wrong... by TomRK1089 · · Score: 4, Funny

      You insensitive clod, for me it still is the Command and Conquer days!

    13. Re:Is it wrong... by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 4, Funny

      I guess I'm just not cool anymore...

      Oh, dear. Epic coolness fail! Newspeak is made of win. You are not a legend.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    14. Re:Is it wrong... by MBGMorden · · Score: 4, Funny

      You're a marketer aren't you?

      --
      "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
    15. Re:Is it wrong... by g0at · · Score: 4, Insightful

      For a self-described "word snob" I'm surprised you bungled "its" ("it's") and "a lot" ("alot"). :)

      --
      myselfmusic
  2. Dear Merriam-Webster: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You spelled "fanboi" wrong.

    Sincerely,

    AC

  3. New word coined on Arstechnica a week ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Witness the birth of a new geek word on Arstechnica forum:

    pludge
    verb
    1 [ intrans. ] to install an operating system update before verifying that it's safe to do so on the [Ars Mac forum]

    http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8300945231/m/953002313931

    The thread is now the third link on Google if you search for the word.

  4. For shame by consonant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I realize being a language Nazi is nerdy, even by Slashdot standards, but this summary is just shockingly awful!

    The headline reads "\"New\" Words From The Geek Culture". So the summary starts off with a single line on it, then randomly rambles on about CNet focusing on 'mondegreens'. Bzzt! Summary-headline mismatch already! Now it's possible that kdawson is just mimicking TFA, which does the same, but that's a frcikin' blog post! Somehow, a rambling blog post has been distilled into (if it's possible) a fumbly summary as well!

    All this meandering is topped off with a quite inexplicable question: "Would you believe, Merriam-Webster's?"

    Seriously, WTF?

    --
    [Slashdot Comments We Liked]
  5. meh, Webster's by ya+really · · Score: 4, Funny

    I gave up on Webster's as an authoritative source on the English language after they added bling to its dictionary. Noah Webster would be angered by the himbos now in charge of his publication. Perhaps the publishers are just part of the Sandwich generation and spend too much time with their parents while their mouse potato kids edit the dictionary for them.

    1. Re:meh, Webster's by StrawberryFrog · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I gave up on Webster's as an authoritative source on the English language after they added bling to its dictionary.

      Why shouldn't a dictionary have that word? People are going to use it, and other people are going to want to know what it means. A dictionary would be failing them by not including it.

      --

      My Karma: ran over your Dogma
      StrawberryFrog

    2. Re:meh, Webster's by ya+really · · Score: 4, Insightful

      In my honest opinion, I think Webster's adds buzz words like these mostly knowing it will give them free advertisement when the media lets everyone know what pop culture words are now somewhat legit. Dictionaries dont really need to add nonsense words that tend to be slang or are too silly to ever be used outside of a joke (looking at you webinar). For words like these, there's always urbandictionary.com. After all, wikipedia may have an article on Jenna Jameson, but Britannica does not.

    3. Re:meh, Webster's by digitig · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I gave up on Webster's as an authoritative source on the English language after they added bling to its dictionary.

      What do you mean by "authoritative"? Do you think that the purpose of a dictionary is to tell you how the language should be used or to report how it actually is used? Most dictionary compilers see themselves as having the latter role, in which case "bling" certainly deserves a place.

      --
      Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
  6. Re:Eye Four One... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Merriam-Webster is going to start adding geek words (though the ones added are of a questionable credibility), I petition that they also add geek words with much more historical and cultural significance.

    Yes, it is time a major dictionary added the word 'goatse'. But they should hide it in a tiny locked compartment in the back of the dictionary to seal up the evil it contains. Precautions must be taken to prevent unsuspecting people from accidentally reading words of this much power.

  7. Valid Joke by Joebert · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can finally tell someone their picture should be in the dictionary under fanboy.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  8. Re:Webinar? WTF? D'Oh! by try_anything · · Score: 4, Informative

    That's because the summary is wrong; "webinar" does not come from the geek world. It comes from the Dilbert world, where marketroids are compelled to make up stupid names for every mildly novel thing. Also, "pretexting" comes from the worlds of crime and espionage. The submitter learned about it in a geeky context (hacking) because the submitter is a geek and learns about most things in a geeky context.

  9. SCNR by Jesus_666 · · Score: 4, Funny

    pludge verb 1 [ intrans. ] to install an operating system update before verifying that it's safe to do so on the [Ars Mac forum]

    syn. "use Gentoo Linux"

    --
    USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  10. All perfectly cromulent words by bazorg · · Score: 4, Insightful

    now all we need is to add "cromulent" to the dictionary.

    1. Re:All perfectly cromulent words by oodaloop · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't see any reason to embiggen the dictionary.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
  11. Old news by xalorous · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think it's too late. Already common use and even listed in some dictionaries.

    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/google

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/google (lists 5 references to google)

    --
    TANSTAAFL GIGO Acronyms to live by!
  12. `fanboy' didn't come out of the IT culture by brokeninside · · Score: 4, Informative

    The Miriam-Webster folks document its first /recorded/ usage as early as 1919. Presumably, it had been in used in spoken form even earlier. So this is a case of the IT crowd adopting pre-existing slang rather than IT speak making its way out into the general culture. I gleaned this from the AP article. The interesting thing to me is how old some of these new words are, like usage of wing nut to describe a radical out in the far wing of a political party dates back to 1900.

  13. Re:Webinar? WTF? D'Oh! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    At my last job everyone used the term webinar. Just because you have a unique experience doesn't mean everyone else has the same experience...

    Actually, if you have a unique experience, that specifically means that no one else has had that experience. I learned that at a recent company 'blogginar'.