250 New Words

Merriam-Webster has added 250 more words to the dictionary. Ugh...just what we need in this age of misunderstanding what others say and mane. More than one thousand new words have been added to the Webster Dictionary since it's inception, proving that English lives and thrives because it is a changing and accepting language. New words come about naturally through public use, and they disappear when no longer used by the same public that introduces new ones.

The new words including terms from recent advances in science, words from foreign languages that are quickly introduced and accepted aided by the rise of the Internet communication system, and words associated with technology, medicine, pop culture, sports, and from misuse of or improper understanding of current terms.

Webster's is the classic dictionary used for so long in the U.S. and it says that when it changes its word listing it merely reflects the breadth of English vocabulary and the speed with which we seek information. The new words, says Webster, also highlight the old fashioned skill Webster employs of creating useful and readable definitions.  This year new entries range from ‘alt-right’ to 'ransomeware', which show that the words in many cases are a reflection of trends and changes in society. Here are a few of the new ones you may recognize or use.

*Troll- It used to describe a dwarf or giant in Scandinavian folklore. The new definition that Merriam-Webster added is a verb and means,  "to antagonize (others) online by deliberately posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content.  Wow! I think I may be a troll.

*Dog Whistle- It once referred to what you blow to attract attention of Fido.  Dog whistles now refer to "coded messages political parties that will be heard one way by their core supporters and another way by everyone else." Just listen to Hillary Clinton whine about why Americans rejected her in the last election and you will be dog whistled to death.

*Sriracha- With the craze for Asian food imbedded in the U.S. food chain now Webster added this to its dictionary It defines it as, "a pungent sauce that is made from hot peppers pureed with usually garlic, sugar, salt, and vinegar and that is typically used as a condiment." I always leave Sriracha on the table because I like to actually taste the food, not fiery spices added to it. A lot of bad food has been disguised by Sriracha sauces.

*Bibimbap- another food entry that Webster defines as, "A Korean dish of rice with cooked vegetables, usually meat, and often a raw or fried egg." Hmmm I know quite a few other Asian foods with the same ingredients without the fancy name Bibimbap. I suspect this one will eventually fade from popularity.

*The Internet of Things- Webster says it is, "The networking capability that allows information to be sent to and received from objects and devices, such as fixtures and kitchen appliances, using the Internet ." Didn't we used to just call that "hardware"?

*Hive Mind- It used to be defined by Webster as "The collective mental activity expressed in the complex, coordinated behavior of a colony of social insects (such as bees or ants) regarded as comparable to a single mind controlling the behavior of an individual organism." Now it is also defined as meaning, "The collective thoughts, ideas, and opinions of a group of people (such as Internet users) regarded as functioning together as a single mind.  Society is indeed now a herd of sheep that bleats in unison whatever propaganda is fostered on it by the extreme liberal elite. And we are as busy as bees complaining about fake issues instead of the real. It's stinging.

* Working Memory- Webster says that it is, "Memory that involves storing, focusing attention on, and manipulating information for a relatively short period of time, such as a few seconds." Wait! I thought that was my attention span.

Anyway, you can see from these few examples of the new 250 that we are creating more new words because of the technology that assumes, dominates and destroys us. Maybe there is a term that describes that kind of self slaughter. How about "techno suicide"?