Oxford English Dictionary adds OMG, LOL abbreviations

[Emil]

OMG, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has approved the additions of the two exclamatory online abbreviations found in this sentence, LOL. OMG, short for Oh My God or Oh My Gosh, and LOL, short for Laughing Out Loud, have joined other entries of the sort, including IMHO (in my humble/honest opinion), TMI (too much information), and BFF (best friends forever) in the March 2011 release of OED Online. The dictionary also added a new entry for "heart" (♥), which can now officially be used as a verb (as in I heart/love something).

Although these abbreviations are strongly associated with the language of electronic communications (email, texting, social networks, blogs, and so on), they actually do have a history. The first confirmed use of OMG was in a letter in 1917. The letters LOL had a previous life that began in 1960 – they used to denoted an elderly woman (Little Old Lady).

The new update includes about 900 new words and meanings, and most were not popularized on the Internet. One was particularly quickly adopted: WAG (Wives And Girlfriends) was first used in 2002 to describe the female partners of the England soccer team. It is now used to denote extravagant female partners of male celebrities.

Editors publish updates to OED online every three months. The Internet version of the dictionary launched in 2000 and may eventually replace the 20-volume printed version, last published in 1989. By the time lexicographers finish revising and updating a new edition, however, publishers doubt there will be a market for the printed form.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/42998-oxford-english-dictionary-adds-omg-lol-abbreviations.html

 

[Lurker101]

The Oxford Dictionary needs to stop pandering to mindless, mouth-breathing cretins and stick to actual English. The dumbing down they've done as of late is actually quite astounding, and it's just not necessary.

It's not that long ago since they added va-va-voom, a meaningless and pointless catchphrase only ever used in Renault Clio adverts.

 

[Guest]

The dictionary is not updated to teach us how to speak, but rather reflect how society is speaking. Slang has been added to the dictionary since its inception. So if you feel poorly about the silly words that are being added it may be best to voice your frustrations to the society that has adopted these words, as opposed to the recorders of linguistic changes.

 

[Guest]

You meant Mazda advert?

By the way, well done English-speakers... You ruin your language. If we don't respect our "treasures", the society is going even deeply in s...

I'm not from an English-speaking country. Never went to a private school to learn the language. In my normal school we were learning French ( crap, I know ). While of course I don't speak perfectly, I'm trying to speak correctly. Actually, I am ashamed if I do not speak the language pretty well. Obviously, doesn't happen the same with native Americans, for instance.

 

[gwailo247]

Guest said:
Obviously, doesn't happen the same with native Americans, for instance.

Oxford is in England.

 

[Lurker101]

It's not a Mazda advert, it's definitely a Renault Clio advert and the particular user of the "word" was Thierry Henry. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate societal variants within the English language. There are so many varyingly obscure words belonging to specific dialects that have grown and evolved through generations, and that linguistic diversity should be cherished, but they have as much place in the official Oxford English Dictionary as a fresh turd in a swimming pool.

 

[bakape]

gwailo247 said:

Guest said:
Obviously, doesn't happen the same with native Americans, for instance.

Oxford is in England.

And Beijing is in China.

 

[KG363]

So If I right <3 in a paper instead of "love", I shouldn't get points off, right?

 

[dotVezz]

While I understand why they did this, it still makes me wonder "What has become of the world?"...

 

[dotVezz]

kg363 said:
So If I right <3 in a paper instead of "love", I shouldn't get points off, right?

Maybe not, but you did misspell the word "write".

 

[DokkRokken]

Guest said:
You meant Mazda advert?

By the way, well done English-speakers... You ruin your language. If we don't respect our "treasures", the society is going even deeply in s...

I'm not from an English-speaking country. Never went to a private school to learn the language. In my normal school we were learning French ( crap, I know ). While of course I don't speak perfectly, I'm trying to speak correctly. Actually, I am ashamed if I do not speak the language pretty well. Obviously, doesn't happen the same with native Americans, for instance.

The beauty of the English language is its ability to evolve, which is one reason why it's so widely used. Restricting a language's tendency to evolve only causes it to fall to the wayside, one reason why the French language, the one you call 'crap' is, well, crap.

I'd be certain that many Anglo's after 1066 were upset over the influx of French words into their language; about ten-thousand words, actually. Yet, the Norman invasion only enriched the language, and English's remarkable malleability still remains today.

It's funny to me, that people think that a dictionary should not add these phrases or words. The very purpose of a dictionary is to record words, and thus, the history of the language. In my view, adding these words, no matter how pointless they may seem, are just strengthening the English language.

 

[Lurker101]

I'd be certain that many Anglo's after 1066 were upset over the influx of French words into their language; about ten-thousand words, actually. Yet, the Norman invasion only enriched the language, and English's remarkable malleability still remains today.

Then please, with your immaculate and verbose vocabulary and enlightened wisdom, explain to me exactly how adding LOL, OMG and ROFLCOPTER to the official concise English dictionary, enriches the English language.

 

[captaincranky]

I'm not from an English-speaking country. Never went to a private school to learn the language. In my normal school we were learning French ( crap, I know ).

French isn't really a language, more like Pilates for the mouth.

While of course I don't speak perfectly, I'm trying to speak correctly. Actually, I am ashamed if I do not speak the language pretty well.Obviously, doesn't happen the same with native Americans, for instance.

Well, I'm here in the US watching English swirl around around the toilet on its way down. It's painful being first at the scene of the accident, as it were.

So If I right <3 in a paper instead of "love", I shouldn't get points off, right?

Maybe not, but you did misspell the word "write".

You're giving him way too much credit! That's not a misspelling, it's the entirely wrong word.

The beauty of the English language is its ability to evolve, which is one reason why it's so widely used. Restricting a language's tendency to evolve only causes it to fall to the wayside, one reason why the French language, the one you call 'crap' is, well, crap.

I'd be certain that many Anglo's after 1066 were upset over the influx of French words into their language; about ten-thousand words, actually. Yet, the Norman invasion only enriched the language, and English's remarkable malleability still remains today.

It's funny to me, that people think that a dictionary should not add these phrases or words. The very purpose of a dictionary is to record words, and thus, the history of the language. In my view, adding these words, no matter how pointless they may seem, are just strengthening the English language.

Exactly why should they have been upset? English is about 25% derivative of Latin, and I think the Germans supplied the rest.

I'm pretty sure it's only called "English" because of the present progressive tense of verbs.

"Every theeeng goes "ing" in "Inglish". That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Addendum: Thank God we got rid of those clunky Middle English conjugations.

"Speaketh, Dids't,Spake, and so forth, utterances along those lines. Although, in hindsight, we probably should have kept, "spanketh", and its present progressive, "spank-eth-ing".

Here, I'll use that in a sentence, "verily thou hast been a bad girl, dids't thee not foresee a spankething in thy future"?

(Notice how I was able to pump "thou", "thee", and "thy" into that one itty bitty sentence)! (Yes, "pump" is an intentional pun).

 

[Xclusiveitalian]

they just need to organize these words under sections... "slang" Ice - Diamonds/jewelry or "Computer talk" lol - laughing out loud

 

[Benny26]

I'm surprised they haven't opened up a full 'Chav' Section...Gotta be in the pipeline you'de think with the way todays brood are heading in the speaking world.

 

[DokkRokken]

Then please, with your immaculate and verbose vocabulary and enlightened wisdom, explain to me exactly how adding LOL, OMG and ROFLCOPTER to the official concise English dictionary, enriches the English language.

Simple. Those phrases allow people yet another way to explain their emotions and thoughts, which is a language's raison d'etre. Doesn't mean you or I have to like it, lol. Doesn't mean you have to be such a putz about it either.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

English does evolve with time. What doesn't? Everything from the airplane to that little piece of green atop a piece of cheese.

The fact that the Oxford Dictionary added OMG and LOL is a fine gesture to coming generations. We did use these abbreviations now, and our future generations should know about it (or at least have a chance to know about it). n00b has been used since the Vietnam war, for crying out loud. Unaltered! Still, how many would know this if not for the earliest documentation of the term newbie?

And thus captaincranky has a point, even if it's a small one.

captaincranky said:
"verily thou hast been a bad girl, dids't thee not foresee a spankething in thy future"?

Also please note; during the times when people communicated like that, "girl" used to mean "little boy".

 

[Wendig0]

Lurker101 said:
The Oxford Dictionary needs to stop pandering to mindless, mouth-breathing cretins and stick to actual English. The dumbing down they've done as of late is actually quite astounding, and it's just not necessary.

It's not that long ago since they added va-va-voom, a meaningless and pointless catchphrase only ever used in Renault Clio adverts.

I agree 100%. This is absurd.

 

[omegafate]

-.- seriously that is f'in pthetic

 

[Lurker101]

Simple. Those phrases allow people yet another way to explain their emotions and thoughts, which is a language's raison d'etre

Flinging faeces allows people another way of expressing their emotions. As does shoving your fist up a girls bottom. Would you also like to see those techniques and the meanings behind them in the dictionary?

 

[captaincranky]

Omg......idkt......

"verily thou hast been a bad girl, dids't thee not foresee a spankething in thy future"?

Also please note; during the times when people communicated like that, "girl" used to mean "little boy".

OMG! I suspected as much! ROFLOL....!

The chronicles tell it something like this....,"After an uproariously loud feast of fine wine and plundered beef, our king, feeling the burden of his excesses, called out with boisterous manner, and in a booming voice, "have my squire washed, anoint him with the finest lard, and have him brought to my bed chamber"....Ah-oo-gah......!

And those nubile young men weren't any safer aboard ship...! In fact, present day minstrels carry the tale forward......."in the navy......In the navy..., in the navy"....

And I'm not even going to get into the goings on in the Spartan Army. (That would be off topic, since they didn't speak English).

Flinging faeces allows people another way of expressing their emotions. As does shoving your fist up a girls bottom. Would you also like to see those techniques and the meanings behind them in the dictionary?

OMG, I don't know what to say to this, LOL!

Perhaps, "now there's a man that knows how to have a good time"!

Seriously though, "verily, thy web surfing hast carried thee to dark, disturbing, and forbidden places".

Um one question, "faeces", is that "feces" in Latin, or MIddle English..?

And in conclusion I'd like to say, "OMG, AFAIK, BTW, IMHO, IDKT", and lest I forget, "ROFLMAO", your humble servant, captaincranky....

 

[Benny26]

Lurker101 Said:
Flinging faeces allows people another way of expressing their emotions. As does shoving your fist up a girls bottom...

Wow.

Outside of Monkeys, Perverts and Charlie Sheen's Private life...I can honestly say myself i've never seen, heard of, or been told about any of those happening as a form of communication.

Maybe i need to go to some more "crazy raves" or something.

 

[DokkRokken]

Flinging faeces allows people another way of expressing their emotions. As does shoving your fist up a girls bottom. Would you also like to see those techniques and the meanings behind them in the dictionary?

I'm sure they'd be more tasteful than a number of other words that are found in the English dictionary, so sure. Although, I'm not exactly familiar with either, so I suppose Miriam-Webster will have to consult you for the definitions and enunciation.

It's not like you're being forced to use these abbreviations, nor does the language trade a 'good(?)' word out for one of these. And as I've said, dictionaries are meant to record the language, so incorporating these words is necessary, in my opinion. There's plenty of gibberish from past-centuries in the dictionary, so why can't there be gibberish from this one too?

 

[captaincranky]

I'm sure they'd be more tasteful than a number of other words that are found in the English dictionary, so sure. Although, I'm not exactly familiar with either, so I suppose Miriam-Webster will have to consult you for the definitions and enunciation.

It's not like you're being forced to use these abbreviations, nor does the language trade a 'good(?)' word out for one of these. And as I've said, dictionaries are meant to record the language, so incorporating these words is necessary, in my opinion. There's plenty of gibberish from past-centuries in the dictionary, so why can't there be gibberish from this one too?

OMG, ur like soooo write, dude....! LOL