English Has Gone to Hell
 

The OED has accepted the heart symbol as part of the dictionary.

Can I despair now please?

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

Omg ;)

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On the subject of OMG.. (BTW, the OED claim that OMG was first recorded in 1917, in a personal letter.)

They are also adding some new initialisms this month, including OMG, LOL and IMHO.. according to the OED, there's more than simple abbreviation going on here;

"The intention is usually to signal an informal, gossipy mode of expression, and perhaps parody the level of unreflective enthusiasm or overstatement that can sometimes appear in online discourse, while at the same time marking oneself as an ‘insider’ au fait with the forms of expression associated with the latest technology."

Among the new words this month;

Muffin top, n.

2. slang. A roll of flesh which hangs visibly over a person's (esp. a woman's) tight-fitting waistband.
2003 D. Campbell Wildwood 185 Edith eased her muffin-top backside into the chair opposite the desk.
2006 P. Ribon Why Moms are Weird 29 ‘Oh, my God!’ I shout from inside the dressing room. I stare at my muffin-top in horror.
2010 Daily Star (Nexis) 29 Sept. 33, I hated my muffin top and was desperate to slim down

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

Surely "muffin top" is not a new word per se but rather a metaphor?

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

No doubt, but that's the way the OED categorizes words and compound words. Each different sense and each different compound gets its own entry. So for instance, "muffin top" has two entries, the first being literal ("The top of a muffin; spec. the part which rises above the rim of the tin or cup during baking.." the second being the new one quoted above.

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

Looking through the list of new words, some are not new at all, just newly noticed by the OED.. For example;

Royal Free disease, n.

Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌrɔɪəl ˈfriː dᵻˌziːz/ , U.S. /ˌrɔɪ(ə)l ˈfri dəˌziz/
Etymology: < the name of the Royal Free Hospital in London, where a cluster of cases occurred in 1955 + disease n....

= chronic fatigue syndrome n. at chronic adj. Additions.
1957 Jrnl. Hygiene 55 120 It is‥possible that the Royal Free disease is an example of benign myalgic encephalomyelitis.
1970 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 3 Jan. 7 From a re-analysis of the case notes of patients with Royal Free disease it is concluded that there is little evidence of an organic disease affecting the central nervous system and that epidemic hysteria is a much more likely explanation.
1990 Time 14 May 66 Many doctors believe a plethora of past and present ailments, given such names as Royal Free disease, neurasthenia and chronic mononucleosis, are all forms of CFS [= chronic fatigue syndrome].
2006 L. Collier & J. Oxford Human Virol. (ed. 3) xvi. 132/2 A mysterious syndrome, known variously as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), postviral disease syndrome, or Royal Free disease‥is still the subject of much controversy.

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

:heart:

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

The time for despair has long since passed. Ever been to Newcastle - gibberish mixed in with high pitched noises and grunts? :lol:

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

Hadaway n shite hinny man ;)

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

Can't remember where I read this but apparently Geordie has a higher incidence of Anglo-Saxon words than any other dialect in England.

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

???

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Of the last 5 books I've read, 3 have had spelling or grammar mistakes. Not just UK/USA differences, actual mistakes. Finding a mistake in a book used to be a really rare occurrence didn't it?

I've lost count of all the spelling mistakes I've seen on "News" programs. :rolleyes:

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

Oh I thought it was whales mating in the Tyne

Re: English Has Gone to Hell
 

A very understandable mistake, Thyd. If the good folks of geordieland have gotten any bigger since last time I was there I can see how you'd get the two confused. :lol: