Shakespeare and Chaucer are both, by consensus, geniuses. And both of them lived in times now distant from us. Chaucer more so, but in human terms neither is recent. Shakespeare's language is much easier for us to parse, though, despite some words and usages that have fallen out of use. I think part of that is that while The Canterbury Tales is a lengthy work you have to read on your own, Shakespeare is best known for plays you can act in with other people, or see socially. But make no mistake, language is always changing.
Seen in that light, this list of new entries in Webster's dictionary is fairly tame. Heavy on abbreviations, most are pretty easy to grasp even on first contact. Although I might have guessed that "ribbie" was something ribbed for her pleasure. And "zoodles" baffle me, as to me zucchini is just a squash cruelly masquerading as a nice tangy cucumber.
Seen in that light, this list of new entries in Webster's dictionary is fairly tame. Heavy on abbreviations, most are pretty easy to grasp even on first contact. Although I might have guessed that "ribbie" was something ribbed for her pleasure. And "zoodles" baffle me, as to me zucchini is just a squash cruelly masquerading as a nice tangy cucumber.
2 comments:
I know what you mean about language always changing to incorporate new ideas and new things, but I rather detest oversimplification for its own sake. Webster has long been known for accepting new words too soon. The OED isn't so hasty.
A zoodle is no match for a tasty noodle in my opinion (or should I twitter-speak nsho - not so humble opinion). No, I don't twit or fb either, although I have been known to check out reddit now and again.
The OED, I suppose, isn't looking to be comprehensive about all the words people are using right now. It's been around for centuries. It knows that slang comes and goes.
I'm on Facebook, but am not all that active on it most of the time. Like, other people on it might start to wonder. As to twitting, I'm so ahead of the curve I was doing that before there even was an internet.
I have to admit that "nsho" is a new one on me. Apparently it can stand for "Naval Service Headquarters, Ottawa" as well, although I don't know if you intended that.
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