Good Bye 2009!
Posted by anuska072 on December 23, 2009
As the end of 2009 nears, hopefully many have much to look forward to in 2010. As world changes and evolves, so does language. If one looks at a word such as trap which has 9 different meanings, with the original definition dating before 12th century being a device for taking animals and today’s common slang term – mouth, we can see that language continuously evolves.
In 2009 Merriam Webster dictionary has officially announced new words that will update the already existing dictionaries. Among them you will find words such as:
Carbon footprint – the negative impact that something (as a person or business) has on the environment; specificall : the amount of carbon emitted by something during a given period
Frenemy – one who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy
Shawarma – a sandwich especially of sliced lamb or chicken, vegetables, and often tahini wrapped in pita bread
Waterboarding – an interrogation technique in which water is forced into a detainee’s mouth and nose so as to induce the sensation of drowning
Locavore – one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible
Reggaeton – popular music of Puerto Rican origin that combines rap with Caribbean rhythms
Earmark – 1 : a mark of identification on the ear of an animal
2 : a distinguishing mark
3 : a provision in Congressional legislation that allocates a specified amount of money for a specific project, program, or organization
Flash Mob – a group of people summoned (as by e-mail or text message) to a designated location at a specified time to perform an indicated action before dispersing
Green Collar – of, relating to, or involving actions protecting the natural environment
http://www.merriam-webster.com/info/newwords09.htm
So there it is, a glimpse of what you may expect to hear more often, or even interpret in a courtroom. Some may seem amusing such as frenemy or locavore, as those are the expressions you may hear on the street. A dynamic in the society where an increased awareness of the environment exists, creates words such as carbon footprint, locavore, or green collar. Continually, we can see the climate and the mood of our fellow citizens by what words are entered into the dictionary, as they are ones widely used, or we can simply be amused by their origins.
Filed Under: Language Issues
