back to article Totes AMAZEBALLS! Side boob, binge-watch and clickbait added to Oxford Dictionary

The Register is sad to report the rise of Web2.0rhea this morning, after the Oxford Dictionary added words such as tech-savvy, listicle and hyperconnected to its latest online addition. Clickbait, smartwatch, live-tweet and second screen also wheedled their way into the world's most famous lexicon. Oxford's editors explained …

  1. MrT

    Binge-watch...

    Kangaaaaa! Can doooo....!

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  2. CaptainCorrection
    Facepalm

    Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

    ...and each year I despair. Presumably some of these neologisms fall into disuse and are removed? I'd like to see a companion list showing words that are no longer included.

    1. Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face

      Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

      There are. "Cyclogiro", "charabanc", "drysalter", "wittol", and (strangely) "aerodrome" have been removed from some dictionaries.

      link

      1. MyffyW Silver badge
        Paris Hilton

        Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

        Nothing beats taking a charabanc to the aerodrome. Makes one feel most awfully a la mode. I'm hanged if I'll let the blighters leave it out of my copy of the OED.

        Must dash, I have to wash down the wainscoting and I want to catch a programme on the wireless.

        TTFN

        1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

          @MyffyW Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

          "Nothing beats taking a charabanc to the aerodrome."

          Oh, this almost sounds like a line from Curly's Airships :-)

          "Within a month a million trippers

          Came to Cardington to see her,

          As she floated at the head of a mast

          As tall as Nelson's Column.

          The charabancs stacked up, three deep,

          Along the Bedford Road,

          To watch us joy-riding

          The Great and the Good."

          'Her' is the R.101, of course...

          1. MyffyW Silver badge

            Re: @MyffyW Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

            @Vladimir my Chum of Chance, you need to know I'm a private-sector-kind of flapper, so if I'm nailing my colours to any airship mast it has to be R100. Have an upvote all the same.

            1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

              Re: @MyffyW Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

              "if I'm nailing my colours to any airship mast it has to be R100."

              That's perfectly fine with me. After all, they both used the same mast, didn't they? :-)

        2. Mage Silver badge

          Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

          Ah, you are a "Listener In"!

      2. Neil Barnes Silver badge
        Headmaster

        Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

        Re Aerodrome: bit of a faux-pas there, I feel, as it's part of the legal definition regarding where aircraft take off and land, and what one can do in the area thereabout.

      3. Eddy Ito

        Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

        Pity about them removing cyclogiro as Seoul National University actually has one working. Of course in keeping with the times the university dutifully called it a cyclocopter.

    2. Primus Secundus Tertius

      Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

      The full OED don't get rid of nuffink. Every word used a few times since 1185, and the cat sat on the mat long before that.

      The Concise OED does prune things, however. I have a 1965 edition with words that were not republished in 1992.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

      Some words do get removed ... Eg "gullible" is no longer there.

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    4. Pet Peeve

      Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

      Forsooth, it's the Oxford Frelling Dictionary, you gormless knucklehead.

      The entire point of the OED is to document usage. Words not used in 300 years are in there.

      1. brooxta

        Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

        Re @Pet Peeve

        That's right. It's kind of the ultimate listicle for word-geeks.

    5. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

      What if you are reading a story from the 19C and need to know what a wiffleplonk is ? Removign it from the dictionary because it is no longer in everyday use rather defeats the purpose of having a book explaining words you don't use everyday.

      The reason for including binge-watch is so that in 100years when we have the plot for TV series automatically downloaded into our iBrain we can understand archaic blog entries from the early C21

  3. James 51

    Second screen? Isn't that what you look at the console tab in while you're running the application on the first screen?

    1. John Robson Silver badge

      More importanly

      It's just two words, both of which are already in the dictionary.

      Combining their usage doesn't add more information than was already present.

      I eagerly await other combinations of words being added, and of course each and every one of Shakespeare's plays, sonnets etc. should be first.

      That should keep them busy for a while.

  4. Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face

    Eh?

    Most of these words are just stucktogethers. If we carry on like this, the dictionary will be full of randomcrap.

    1. DropBear
      Joke

      Re: Eh?

      That may well be, but you have to admit we're still a long way from Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän...

      1. n0r0imusha
        Coat

        Re: Eh?

        or this :

        megszentségteleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért

        source:

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_language#Extremely_long_words

        Mine is the one with the dirty phrasebook in it

        1. deshepherd

          Re: Eh?

          Reminds me of one when I was in Germany I went to buy a train ticket and my attempt at German was clearly too good as I got a long question in German back. Turned out that it was asking if I was coming back that day (which was a Sunday) as if so I could get a

          Sonnertagruktfahrkarten

          The German space character shortage continues!

          1. big_D Silver badge

            Re: Eh?

            Try writing bullet point in PowerPoint that don't go over several lines or leave lines half empty! :-D

            That is why they use auto-hyphenation so much here in Germany.

          2. JimmyPage Silver badge

            Re: Sonnertagruktfahrkarten

            I have never studied German, just pick up little bits from reading and the odd film, so I was well chuffed that I almost decoded that ...

            Sonner = special

            tag = day

            gruktfahr (or more probably)

            gruk <mumble>

            fahr <mumble>

            karten = card [ticket ?]

            1. big_D Silver badge

              Re: Sonnertagruktfahrkarten

              That would be

              Sonder : special

              tag : day

              rück : return

              fahrt : journey

              karte : ticket

              although you are correct, Rückfahrt (return journey) is usually written as a single word.

      2. big_D Silver badge
        Coat

        Re: Eh?

        Didn't you mean: Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamten-

        gesellschaft?

  5. MonsieurInconnu

    Disgusted of Surbiton writes

    So there's space for this load of cobblers but still no entry for 'tw*tdangler'. I am OUTRAGED I tell you.

    And there are people who defend such words because 'English is an evolving language'. Personally if more such words get in, its more of a language in terminal decline. Gah. But then I do write texts in full so maybe its just my age.....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Disgusted of Surbiton writes

      If it were your age you wouldn't be writing texts. Can't say that I've ever sent one and I don't intend to start any day soon.

  6. MyffyW Silver badge
    Big Brother

    It could be worse...

    BB bellyfeel new words at best prolefeed, verging on crimethink. Goodthinkful persons must rectify or become unperson.

    1. dogged

      Re: It could be worse...

      And I thought Stanley Unwin had died.

    2. John G Imrie

      Re: It could be worse...

      Comment ElReg uses unwords correctwise as follows

      BB bellyfeel unwords plus prolefeed, verging crimethink. Goodthinkful persons doubbleplus rectify or unpersonwise.

      1. MyffyW Silver badge

        Re: It could be worse...

        Thank you, Syme to my Winston.

        "under the spreading chestnut tree..."

  7. Dan 37

    QFT

    "Each year we get the 'new words' announcement...

    ...and each year I despair" see title (quoted for truth - is it in the dictionary yet?)

    How is FML even a word? It's an initialism for 3 words that are all already well defined and in this combination no specific additional definition seems necessary.

    The other entries seem similarly redundant side-boob: the 'side' of a 'boob'. Does anybody fail to understand the meaning of those two words, or their meaning in this specific combination? 'Binge' and 'watch', also take on no additional meaning in the specific combination? I fail to understand why any of these require a specific definition. Or are we now entering all meaningful combinations of words as individual dictionary entries. Not even limited to pairs - FML is 3, YOLO is 4… how far can we take it:

    Oxford English dictionary Volume 9847652

    (Entire text of Romeo and Juliet)

    Pronunciation:

    (Entire text of Romeo and Juliet, phonetically)

    Play, fiction

    Definition:

    (Entire text of Romeo and Juliet re-written in modernised English)

    Origin

    William Shakespeare

    1. Dan 37

      Re: QFT

      after further thought, the definition should read:

      Definition:

      (Individual definition of every word contained in the original text, concatenated into a single paragraph)

      Also, upvote for John, above, who basically said the same thing while I was typing mine :)

    2. AceRimmer

      Re: QFT

      "How is FML even a word? It's an initialism for 3 words that are all already well defined and in this combination no specific additional definition seems necessary."

      Too right, get rid of LASER whilst you're at it

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: QFT

        I still get annoyed at the BBC style guide which has a tendency to write acronyms in lowercase with the first letter capitalised!

        1. Rich 11

          Re: QFT

          I still get annoyed at the BBC style guide which has a tendency to write acronyms in lowercase with the first letter capitalised!

          In some cases that's quite reasonable (Nasa, for example, although I don't think they do Jaxa yet).

        2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
          Headmaster

          Re: QFT

          "I still get annoyed at the BBC style guide which has a tendency to write acronyms in lowercase with the first letter capitalised!"

          Did you mean the Bbc?

      2. Dan 37

        Re: QFT

        I'd think light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation might confuse the average punter - it could be argued that that particular sequence of words can be used to describe a standard lightbulb, perhaps controlled by a dimmer switch (you can amplify it, right?) whereas laser describes a much more specific cohesive light scenario.

        I see no such specific additional meaning for FML or YOLO. At least yolo is pronounceable, change FML to effemel and I might agree it is a word. A bollocks made up word not deserving of entry into a dictionary, but a word.

      3. Rich 11

        Re: QFT

        Too right, get rid of LASER whilst you're at it

        Laser is an acronym, not an initialism. It can at least be pronounced as a word (and over time become one).

  8. Paul Harrap

    clickbait

    The addition of "clickbait" is certainly apposite.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    More yoof words?

    I hadn't realised that "yoof" itself was in there. Janet Street-Porter, you have killed our culture.

  10. Tom Wood

    Oh, the ironing...

    "Oxford Dictionary added words ...to its latest online addition."

    You mean "latest online edition"?

  11. tfewster

    New?

    "side boob" is at least 35 years old, as I remember it from school.

    I've also seen YOLO in the context "be careful, YOLO (No reload if you die etc.). "Live fast, die young, stay beautiful" is a little more compelling than merely being reckless "I just ordered £40 worth of Chinese food. But YOLO, right?"

    I'm pleased to say I've never heard "adorbs". Long may I manage to avoid the yoof types who use such mutant monstrosities.

    1. ravenviz Silver badge
      Headmaster

      Re: New?

      We have been using 'sidebap' for years!

      As in, "Core blimey your worship, a bit of sidebap on display there!"

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    YOLO

    My Warcraft guild forbids the use of yolo. First use would negate free guild repairs, second use would negate guild bank access altogether, third use is outright expulsion.

    Be warned.

    1. Fibbles
      Trollface

      Re: YOLO

      YOLO!

      lol, j/k idgaf

  13. graeme leggett Silver badge

    just used my library service on line subscription to OED

    and these new words aren't showing up.

    got "smartphone" though - first use 1980.

  14. Nicholas Roberts

    They add 'side boob' but leave out 'underboob'?

    1. PhilBuk
      Happy

      It's Mass Effect

      I think the modern usage of side-boob came from the descriptions of the sex scenes in Mass Effect. Also seen as 'Alien side-boob'.

      Phil.

  15. AbortRetryFail
    Facepalm

    YOLO...

    ... a word used by people who don't understand what "Carpe Diem" means.

    1. AceRimmer

      Re: YOLO...

      Subtly different meanings

      To steal a phrase used by another commentard:

      "Just ordered £40 worth of Chinese food, but YOLO!" Makes sense in a semi-serious "yoof" way

      "Just ordered £40 worth of Chinese food, but Carpe Diem!" Would have to be read as sarcasm.

      1. AbortRetryFail

        Re: YOLO...

        Ok, that's a fair point. I'll concede there. :o)

      2. Soruk
        Holmes

        Re: YOLO...

        > Subtly different meanings

        > To steal a phrase used by another commentard:

        > "Just ordered £40 worth of Chinese food, but YOLO!" Makes sense in a semi-serious "yoof" way

        > "Just ordered £40 worth of Chinese food, but Carpe Diem!" Would have to be read as sarcasm.

        "Just ordered £40 worth of Chinese food, but Caveat Emptor!" would work better here.

        1. ravenviz Silver badge
          Coat

          Re: YOLO...

          Seres cibum £XL iussi, carpe diem!

    2. Elmer Phud

      Re: YOLO...

      It's a bleedin' fish, innit.

  16. WylieCoyoteUK
    Mushroom

    You're all couch potatoes

    "BingeWatch"?

    NOOOOO!! I get stir crazy after an hour.

    How can people willingly surrender so much of their life?

    Mind you for me the worst is ToBe, as in "To be continued...."

    1. GregC

      Re: You're all couch potatoes

      Guilty as charged (of couch potato-ness) - if a show is compelling enough. I have been known to do an entire season of 24 in a weekend. Can't remember which season it was, but it was a particularly good one.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: You're all couch potatoes

        When 24 was first released on DVD, a friend challenged me to join them watching the first season back to back.

        I didn't make it.

  17. Jim 59

    OED is trolling you

    Some of the OED's annual additions are genuine words that will stand the test of time. A few are just teenage grunts that will be an embarrassing memory by Christmas, put in partly for trolling purposes.

    OED should put up a list of annual additions/deletions for each year, so we can go back and see what worked and what didn't. Actually, their site has additions year-by-year, but no mention of deletions. Do they see deletion as a failure ?

    1. Fibbles

      Re: OED is trolling you

      The dictionary reflects the language as it is currently used, so additions and deletions are just a natural part of that. Only the aspies demand that it stay static, like some sort of standard specification for the language.

      1. Keven E.

        Re: OED is tickling you

        Took 'em long enough... OED is the original listicle.

  18. mark 63 Silver badge

    in the past i've had a chortle at the funny new words.

    I dont know whats changed but this time i feel sick.

    Some media obsessed adhd twitter jockey kid mustve finished his media studies "degree" and landed a job at the OED. Ive never seen such a string of banal dribble. To even acknowledge the existance of such mind sewer filth as that essex bullshit in the OED is to piss on the union jack. Besides if they were gonna put amazeballs in it should have bee na couple of years ago , its been and gone now

    1. AceRimmer

      Union Jack

      Not properly CAPITALIZING the Union Jack is pissing on the Union Jack

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    "a course that will school you to code from the console like a true neckbeard"

    Nice... they're telling coders to man up. Yep, that's in there too.

  20. Fibbles

    I was somewhat bemused to discover 'neckbeard' is attributed the mouthbreathers from TOWIE. I'm a geordie and have been using it for at least a decade. I suspect it's been around considerably longer than that.

    Also, I thought mansplain was something coined by the "social justice" / feminism lot?

    1. Havin_it
      Childcatcher

      >Also, I thought mansplain was something coined by the "social justice" / feminism lot?

      That's plausible, given there's no equivalent "chixplain" addition...

      "Honey, can I get a courtesy pause on the DVD please? I'd rather binge-watch my way to a piss-drenched sofa than have to let you chixplain the "significant plot-points" of the 30 seconds I'd miss by running to the bog, which apparently include all dialogue and scene-shifts verbatim complete with theories on their significance, what other shows you think you've seen that actress in before, and what amusing thing the cat did in my absence, which will drown out the following 5 minutes of audio and make me wish I'd never asked!"

      /aaaaaaand-breathe

  21. tirk
    Coat

    The really ironic addition ...

    ... in a squillion word dictionary would surely be "TL;DR"

  22. Havin_it
    Headmaster

    Neo:

    "Lo! Jism!"

    /pretty sure incumbent usage is "side-boob" (hyphenated) and Google agrees with me

  23. DanceMan

    Lost Words

    RIP "fewer"

  24. crediblywitless

    'second screen' isn't a word. It's two words, 'second' and 'screen', both of which have well-known meanings.

  25. imanidiot Silver badge

    I see little use

    in defining something like second screen. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of instances where those two words together mean something ENTIRELY different.

  26. Scroticus Canis
    Happy

    Take heart ....

    If you follow the links in the article you do see that while it is under the auspices of the OED it clearly states "US English" so all is not lost.

  27. GrumpyWorld
    WTF?

    Countdown madness

    Was amazed that 'spooler' was disallowed.

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