I recently was introduced to this wonderful website, Addictionary

The Addictionary is a site for word lovers and those who like to see our beloved English language grow in serious or humorous ways. We built the Addictionary to empower word-play and to help lovers of word-play showcase and market their cleverness and creativity to the world. Every feature in the site tries to keep that in mind. Let us know if you have suggestions in that regard.

This fabulous site should be on the bookmak bar of every word lover! enjoy reading and commenting on newly created words or go ahead and add your own. I personally adore “the wordoff” section where new words go head to head, as readers chose which one should prevail.  You can even sign up to receive “the word of the day” just to ensure you are getting your daily dose of new-word goodness! 

Back in ‘08, Jim Banister compiled a collection of his favorite new words from the site in a bite sized book Addictionary: Brave New Words. The new words are organized into the following categories: computers, office, corporate america, politics, medicine, pubs & clubs, literati, sports, religion & philosophy, travel, food & drink, hollywood, family, pets & other animals, dating & sexuality, fun & games, words that almost exist, miscellaneous.

two of the words that jumped off the page and remained in my mind:

lexecutioner

noun, A person with a particular knack for butchering language.

perkatory

noun, the minutes spent waiting for your first cup of coffee in the morning

Snag a copy of the book, visit the site and let your word nerd creativity soar. Make your mark on the english language evolution (or revolution). So, what words have you created lately?

I am allergic to coasters. my tables have suffered from this laziness, although, I would surely convert to a coaster craver if I had these lovely, lettered gems. These bamboo beauties are “four inches in diameter and set in Baskerville semibold.” 

I would brew a nice pot of tea and set the delicate cup on one of these typographic table protectors. I could imagine sipping from a cup while the letters seemed to jump from the coaster, inspiring me to write!

What a lovely gift for any word nerd!

after some lively conversation with friends about my previous post’s word choice (hooray), I have another thought I’d like to share.

Interjections are accessories for a sentence. I would maybe even say that they are the word icing on the cake. That being said, today’s language has become highly abbreviated and interjections were the first to go. What started out as shortening words to single letters in the written form (you to u), has slowly invaded our verbal conversations. Afterthoughts of excitement, such as “hooray!”, no longer have a strong presence in both verbal and written language. Although, I am choosing to not erase the bursts of joy from my word bank.

I consider the interjection to be my best accessory; maybe even the pop of color amongst the bland grays of statements (well-it is fashion week). This fall season, I will adorn my conversations with its embellished flair, even if to some it seems out of style. So while others are wearing their abbreviated black minis of conversation, I will be the lady with the flowing, neon gown expressing joy in every sentence.

There are some words that truly bring to a smile to my face, and “hooray” is definitely one of them. It not only carries a sense of joy with its meaning, but also with its pronunciation. Like a slice of lemon to a meal or the color red to a wall, “hooray” brightens any sentence. 

Our trusty online dictionary, Merriam-Webster, notes that “hooray” is in fact an interjection that is “used to express joy, approval, or encouragement.” As an interjection, “a word or phrase used in exclamation,” the function of “hooray” even has a sense excitement.

“Hooray” can be dated back to 1686 and possibly comes from the German word “hurra,” the battle-cry of Prussian soldiers during the War of Liberation (1812-13). Although the word may seem outdated in your mind and somewhat hokey, I believe it really needs to make a comeback. “Hooray” adds a certain levity to a written sentence and literally brings a smile to any face when spoken (just say and word and the pronunciation will literally cause your mouth to form a smile-like shape).

“Hooray” is truly underused and absolutely fabulous. I highly recommend that you let it slip into your shouts of excitement.

I love language, hooray!

Hallmark has been telling our nearest and dearest how much we love them, how old we think they are, or why we’re excited about the “insert name of event here” that they’re experiencing. But have you ever been able to share your love for a fellow word nerd in scrabble talk?  Yeah, I didn’t think so. Neil Freese, the creative brains behind this killer card and Bearpaw paper and crafts, knows how to talk to the word lovers. He truly crafted a way to score points on the scrabble board and with your language lover. 

I am beyond excited to snatch up some of these worded gems and share them with my fellow word nerds, who will get a kick out of the scrabble reference and intended sarcasm. But for those of you looking for a creative way to open up to your secret word admirer, then this is the perfect option, especially if you feel anxious to write your own witty remark (we don’t judge your word choices-well not all the time-just joking). 

happy scrabbling!

I have always been excited by the new words that DailyCandy.com writers create and share in their posts. DailyCandy has a knack for speaking a certain trendy language that is absolutely wonderful to read! The slanguage of DC is a nice blend of current culture and heavy sarcasm. After years of crafting new words, DC finally put them all under one book cover and created,  The DailyCandy Lexicon: Words That Don’t Exist but Should. This trendy dictionary is “a compilation of these soon-to-be-discovered words. Written by a crack team of secret agents (fine, us), the Lexicon is accompanied by a behind-the-keyboards look at the DailyCandy staff – and our wacky escapades.”

I occasionally write a piece for DC, but have yet to craft a word that is DailyCandy worthy (I am working on it). Since I am a freelance writer for DC and a word nerd, I attended the book release party and picked up a copy for myself. Over the last few days, I’ve paged through the book and snickered at the fabulous words and thought I would share a few in the Sunday Slanguage posts. With that being said, here is a sneak peek at a word from the “technology” section:

Mouse trap (noun)

“An internet purchase that looks a lot different upon arrival than it did in the picture.”

I am sure that this piece of DC slanguge rings true with many of you (that dress on ebay that looked glamorous on the screen but more a like a stained napkin after you ripped open the package). It’s interesting to see how a term that officially means “a trap for a rodent” can easily translate to an internet related word. This is a true mix of current culture and language!

As much as I love exploring the fabulous words that the English language has to offer, I decided to take a lingual trip to Italy via Rosetta Stone. I’m only in the beginning stages of colors and numbers, but am enjoying the thrill of playing with new words. I am really looking forward to conversing in Spanish and Italian, and truly becoming a multilingual lady!

Are you learning a new language this summer?

Before the days of video games and facebook, most children could be found hanging from monkey bars, pumping their feet on the swings, and building larger than their life castles in the sand box. All of the latter activities were not controlled by a joystick or viewed from a couch, but actually happened in real life on a local playground.  

It’s sad to see that “playgrounds” are no longer the go-to destination for neighborhood children. Some of my favorite childhood moments were spent dreaming while moving high into the sky on the swing. While traveling down memory lane, I thought I would explore the fabulous word, “playground.”

Playground:

1 : a piece of land used for and usually equipped with facilities for recreation especially by children

According to Merriam-Webster, “playground” can be dated back to 1794. That being said, if “playground” had a time chart, I would imagine that as soon as “video game” entered the scene “playground” experienced a bit of a dip.  

Within the definition there are two words that jump out at me, “land” and “recreation.” The joy of a playground is feeling the “land” under your feet as you run, jump and return to stable ground, as it truly is a ground that one plays on. “Recreation” is the most important word within the definition, as it means “refreshment of strength and spirits after work.” A playground is an essential part of any childhood, as it really is a place where a spirit can be refreshed as children smile, laugh and imagine. On that note, I think I might take a ride on a swing tomorrow and hopefully inspire some children while renewing my own spirit. When it comes to the “playground” we’re all children at heart, so go play!

image courtesy of dennis and aimee jonez

During your middle school years, you sincerely tried to avoid earning a bad “reputation” so that the teachers didn’t report any poor behavior to your parents. Now, your “reputation” is multifaceted and can vary amongst social circles, places of work, home, friends, etc. In addition to your actions in person (maybe you shouldn’t have thrown a stapler at work just because you were frustrated), we also have to consider our online “reputation.” With so many expressive outlets online, our “reputations” can instantly be shaped in positive and negative ways.

Considering that our “reputation” is now being constructed in more places than ever, it might be a good idea to take a deeper look at the word that represents how others perceive us.

Reputation:

1 a: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general b: recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability <has the reputation of being clever>

2: a place in public esteem or regard : good name <trying to protect his reputation>

The definition speaks of a voyeuristic quality as we are “judged” or “recognized” by “other people.” Also interesting to note, is that in the second part of the definition, “reputation” is perceived as something that is positive, regardless of a preceding descriptive adjective. As much as I love the role of the optimist, “reputation” is not a consistently positive term, as we all have chances to earn a bad “reputation.”

A “reputation” is made up of the judgment of others that is based on our actions in several places. This adds an element of honesty to a “reputation” as it can be built over time and in various scenarios. That being said, a true “reputation” is one that is echoed amongst various individuals.

 The word itself can be dated back to the 14^th century and comes from,  “reputatus, pp. of reputare ‘reflect upon, reckon.’” So word to the wise, reflect about a person before you judge them, as a “reputation” is a strong word that shapes how a person is perceived. And to those expressing themselves online, it’s probably a good idea to act and speak in a manner that is truly you, because even though some people might skip over your nasty blog comment, just remember that Google (like an elephant) never forgets.

They’re the colorful shells that hit the pavement as you shuffle down the sidewalk. I’m talking about your “kicks” fresh from the box or worn in from the pavement. According to the Urban Dictionary, “kicks” refers to shoes, specifically the newest, most popular sneakers. This slang term doesn’t just live on the foot, but instead has inspired a “kicks” culture. Nice Kicks is an online magazines for shoe-enthusiasts and has “established itself as the leader in sneaker information on the web.”  

Prior to its moments associated with swooshes and laces, “kicks” was slang for “something lively and fun,” hence Sinatra’s lyrics “I get no ‘kicks’ from champagne.” This older version has actually evolved quite nicely into its newest version, meaning new “sneaker.” These “kicks” that are worn today are usually bold, brightly colored foot fashion pieces that bring liveliness to a bland tennis shoe. This sense of fun from the original meaning is now worn right on the shoe.

“Kicks” has experienced a few torch passes in the slanguage world and has evolved with culture. Sinatra has passed his version of “kicks” lyrics on to the new performers in the pop culture scene who are making music about their new “kicks.” From a “fun time” to a “popular sneaker,” “kicks” has yet to be kicked out of the pop culture scene. So whether you “get your kicks” (find fun) or “get your kicks” (pick up some sneakers), there is one thing that remains true: sturdy slanguage survives. 

image courtesy of sling@flickr