I have always been very proud to be a native English speaker. This is because as I understand it's a bugger to learn and we've made an impenetrable art of the understatement. I have my pedant moments, but I'm in no position to criticise other people's use of language. Certainly I shouldn't, considering my love of wordplay and portmanteaus, begrudge the constant evolution (some may quibble over the choice of word there) of the English language.
The idea that Collins Dictionary should invite people to tell it the new words they have been using is interesting. An unedited list of all the words submitted is no doubt going to contain some words of iffiness, of dubious meanings or etymology. Which is why Collins's “dictionary editors have been busy sorting through more than four thousand entries...and can now reveal a list of eighty-six new words and senses that have been added to CollinsDictionary.com.”
The idea that Collins Dictionary should invite people to tell it the new words they have been using is interesting. An unedited list of all the words submitted is no doubt going to contain some words of iffiness, of dubious meanings or etymology. Which is why Collins's “dictionary editors have been busy sorting through more than four thousand entries...and can now reveal a list of eighty-six new words and senses that have been added to CollinsDictionary.com.”
Let's take a look at some of these these successfully submitted words. There's 'Amazeballs' (meaning testicles that do magic tricks), 'Impactful' (meaning I don't have a vocabulary) and 'Frenemy' (meaning I read women's magazines who run a frenemy story every month). All in good, slightly unimaginative fun.
Apart from one entry that has made it into the 86 new words added to CollinsDictionary.com. 'Frape'.
I don't know whether to LOL or :'(.
Accompanied by the definition: “Verb 1. to alter information in a person's profile on a social networking website without his or her permission” Frape and Frapeage has made it into the 86 new words. Perhaps you are sighing exasperatedly. Oh it's just a joke, it's a light portmanteau regarding someone sneaking into your Facebook account and betraying your inappropriate fondness for penguins. It's not serious. Gosh, when you get all worthy about my jokes I feel like my sense of humour is being raped.
I can't say I am particularly surprised that the word was submitted, we are discussing a list headed up by 'Amazeballs' after all. I am surprised that CollinsDictionary.com's “hardworking dictionary editors” thought it would be a good one to add to the list. It isn't that I don't understand the words on this list are supposed to be somewhat frivolous and silly. In fact it's precisely because I do understand the point that I believe the decision to use a word that trivialises rape is so unbelievably poor.
Yesterday the press and the social network sites were all aflame because Chris Brown has revealed a tattoo that some believe looks like the image of a beaten Rihanna. Nestling between tweets and comments and articles discussing whether it is a portrait of the singer or an appropriated image of a make up design in Dios Los Muertos make up is the question: 'why are we allowing this to happen?' How come it is post Brown being revealed as an abusive partner that he's enjoyed the most success? How come Rihanna is getting chastised for behaving exactly as many abused women do and forgiving him as we simultaneously shower him with awards?
Perhaps because we live in a society where rape and abuse are thought to be a jumping off point for humour.
Last year CollinsDictionary.com released a list of words that were falling out of use. I sincerely look forward to the day when 'rape' falls out of use.
Squeamish Kate
Apart from one entry that has made it into the 86 new words added to CollinsDictionary.com. 'Frape'.
I don't know whether to LOL or :'(.
Accompanied by the definition: “Verb 1. to alter information in a person's profile on a social networking website without his or her permission” Frape and Frapeage has made it into the 86 new words. Perhaps you are sighing exasperatedly. Oh it's just a joke, it's a light portmanteau regarding someone sneaking into your Facebook account and betraying your inappropriate fondness for penguins. It's not serious. Gosh, when you get all worthy about my jokes I feel like my sense of humour is being raped.
I can't say I am particularly surprised that the word was submitted, we are discussing a list headed up by 'Amazeballs' after all. I am surprised that CollinsDictionary.com's “hardworking dictionary editors” thought it would be a good one to add to the list. It isn't that I don't understand the words on this list are supposed to be somewhat frivolous and silly. In fact it's precisely because I do understand the point that I believe the decision to use a word that trivialises rape is so unbelievably poor.
Yesterday the press and the social network sites were all aflame because Chris Brown has revealed a tattoo that some believe looks like the image of a beaten Rihanna. Nestling between tweets and comments and articles discussing whether it is a portrait of the singer or an appropriated image of a make up design in Dios Los Muertos make up is the question: 'why are we allowing this to happen?' How come it is post Brown being revealed as an abusive partner that he's enjoyed the most success? How come Rihanna is getting chastised for behaving exactly as many abused women do and forgiving him as we simultaneously shower him with awards?
Perhaps because we live in a society where rape and abuse are thought to be a jumping off point for humour.
Last year CollinsDictionary.com released a list of words that were falling out of use. I sincerely look forward to the day when 'rape' falls out of use.
Squeamish Kate
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