In spite of working online, I do have a tendency to be the last to know about the latest things to go viral. Remember Gangnam Style? I think my mom know about it before I did! Then there’s Harlem Shake, which I totally don’t get.
“Friend zone” probably takes the cake, though, as I only really learned the “official” definition today, thanks to the February 2013 update of the Oxford Dictionaries. Last year, I was pleasantly surprised with the addition of “Whovian”, Dr. Who fan that I am. Some of you expressed your distaste at certain additions (see the comments in that previous post about the Oxford Online Dictionaries update). Will this year’s additions make you feel the same? Let’s take a look at my picks.
Appletini
Definition: a cocktail consisting of vodka mixed with apple juice, apple liqueur, or cider: in the absence of margaritas the drink of choice was appletinis.
I don’t know about you, but I think it’s about time this was considered a real word!
Dumbphone
Definition: a basic mobile phone that lacks the advanced functionality characteristic of a smartphone: there are still six dumbphones out there for every smartphone
If there is such a thing as a smartphone, I suppose a dumbphone is easy enough to grasp. I personally don’t feel comfortable using the term, though. Nokia’s old phones with Snake and Snake 2 may have been dumb, but they were pretty fun and sturdy!
Friend zone
Definition: a situation in which a platonic relationship exists between two people, one of whom has an undeclared romantic or sexual interest in the other: I always wind up in the friend zone, watching them pursue other guys
Actually, I realize that I have known about the underlying concept of the term (probably dating back to high school?). I don’t get how this term has become so popular in recent times, though.
Tweetable
Definition: suitable for posting on the social media site Twitter: the president delivered a great collection of tweetable lines this morning
This term is constantly used in my circles, thanks to having to work online. Have you used this term before? Are you comfortable using it?
To know more words added in quarterly update of the ODO, take a look at the blog announcement. In the meantime, tell us what you think of the words above!
Note: All definitions and images are from ODO.
0
65k
6k
Leave a Reply