Texting and e-mails shape dictionary

07 September 2004 07:30

It's a must-have in the menopolis, pumpkins, and top whack for speed-dating.

About 1000 new words have entered our language since the last edition of the Collins English Dictionary came out two years ago.

Many reflect our growing obsession with celebrities and a youth culture where cutting edge communication, via txt, e-mail and chatrooms has abbreviated the way we talk to our colleagues, relatives – or M8s.

Jeremy Butterfield, editor-in-chief of Collins Dictionaries, said the mass media and celebrities were now two of the biggest influences on the evolving English language.

Tin, now an adjective as well as a type of metal or baked bean receptacle, apparently means 'true to its word' – ie, it does exactly what it says on the tin, like the TV advert for varnish.

“It's a good example of the impact of the mass media,” said Mr Butterfield. “You hear that phrase all the time now, it's become part of the language.

“'You are the weakest link' is another example. When the programme was at its height, people were using that in all kinds of contexts.”

The inclusion of words and phrases like 'must-have' and 'mass-affluent' shows a society that creates highly desired objects for people with the time and money to spend on the latest gadget or gizmo.

While the many words for computers and their functions show how significant a part of our lives they have become – as if we needed telling.

Botox has almost become a verb, as the stars' miracle treatment to look younger spreads to the masses and office workers pop out at lunchtime for a quick jab.

'Touch rugby' shows that the near non-contact form of the sport playing in many schools today bears little comparison to the crunching tackles played out on pitches up and down the country a generation ago.

Some would argue that many of the new words herald declining standards, whether of society, or the English language itself.

Philip Blamire, deputy headteacher of St Clement's High School and English teacher for more than 30 years, is not quite so convinced.

“I've not noticed a change in the standards of students' English. In fact, more students have good language skills. I put it down to excellent primary teaching ,” he said.

“Standards are not going to change and novelists' styles are always changing, too.

“Dictionaries are becoming more like encyclopaedia's now – they contain a lot of other information which simply goes out of date. Adding words like this does give them a bit of publicity”, he added.

Mr Blamire said if modern words were used in the right context, students could put them in their work.

Pupil Carl Harris, 15, from South Lynn, said: “I would have thought vavavoom has made it to the new edition – it's from that car advert. I have an idea of what it means but I couldn't tell you. Imagine if I put some of these words into my essay.”

Hannah Hornigold, 15, of Terrington St Clement, added: “Some new words are unusual and I would use them if they were appropriate.”

Josh Wille, 15, of Clenchwarton, said: “I should think blinging or minging is in the dictionary now, but putting celebrities in is a bit over the top. That's really crossed a line.”

With a language changing at the rate of 50 new words arriving every day, something has to give. There are words that have to be left out each year, to make room for the new ones.

And with new celebrities arriving all the time – Justin Timberlake was almost unheard of when the last edition of the dictionary hit the shelves – there are former celebrities who have to go.

Mr Butterfield is part of a small committee which decides which former A-listers are no longer A-list.

Out this year are several members of the Royal Family, not to mention several foreign monarchies.

In are Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Johnny Wilkinson and Wayne Rooney. Mr Butterfield said celebrities were the new Royalty.

WORD LIST