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OMG The OED Just Added More Words


By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 24, 2011

Modified Mar 24, 2011


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The OED's James Murray

 


By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 24, 2011

Modified Mar 24, 2011


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Milton Glaser

would be so proud. The designer of the "I ♥ NY" logo has had his work on bumper stickers and t-shirts, but now the ♥ symbol at the center of it has made its way into the Oxford English Dictionary. According to the Daily Mail, the ♥ symbol will be found will be found alongside the word "heart" and listed as a verb, meaning "to love."

Joining the symbol—and the other 600,000 words already in the dictionary—will be the words Muffin Top, OMG, Dotbomb, Ego Surfing, and Banh Mi. The Philological Society—which issued a grand statement of purpose in 1857, prior to the First Edition being published 22 year later—is probably rolling in its collective grave.

The resource has been going through an updating process since 1989, when the Second Edition was published... when they're done will it read like a murder mystery revolving around the death of the English language? (Spoiler: the Internet did it!)

Tagged

Bánh mì

cyber speak

dotbomb

ego surfing

heart

internet

muffin top

oed

omg

oxford english dictionary


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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