I ♥ words: LOL with the OED ~ OMG!

OMG, I'm LOL at the giddy list of new words that the venerable Oxford English Dictionary has added ~ and, believe me, there are many.

Perusing the blogosphere, I couldn't help but notice the news about noteworthy initialisms "OMG" (Oh My God), "LOL" (Laughing Out Loud), and the symbol for "heart" ♥ have all been added to the OED online dictionary. They join other initialisms such as "IMHO" (In My Humble Opinion), "TMI" (Too Much Information), and "BFF" (Best Friends Forever), among others, that have already gained recognition.


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People take notice when the Oxford English Dictionary adds new words to its lexicon. After all, the OED is the definitive record of the English language ~ it says so on their website. Achieving status in the OED means a word has gained mainstream acceptance, it's part of correct English. Of course, by the time they gain recognition, these words are behind the curve, so old school. Whatever your attitude or point of view, the English language ~ and the words we use in our daily conversation ~ is forever changing, always in revision.

Some other new and notable words added in the Class of 2011 besides the aforementioned OMG, LOL and ♥ include: Ruthian, smack talk and ego-surfing. Ego-surfing?

Because I'm a big fan of British slang, I was intrigued by cream crackered, an adjective, a British slang term that connotes being tired and exhausted. And you thought it had something to do with food.  OMG, no. Now, I challenge you to use cream crackered in a sentence with a straight face. Speaking of food, I know that many foodies who appreciate Asian cuisine ~ and there are many here in the Bay Area ~ will delight in seeing the addition of bánh mì, a noun, which is a Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette stuffed with strips of pork meat or chicken (tofu is acceptable, too), spring onion, cilantro, cucumber and lettuce, along with chili or soy sauce.  Think New Orleans-style po' boy or Philadelphia hoagie sandwich and you kind of get the culinary picture of bánh mì. 

However, after perusing the list of new and accepted words, I think my favorite new word is: yidaki. It is a noun that is defined as a long wooden instrument played by the Aborginal peoples of Arnhem Land.  

Mind you, I have no particular reason for liking yidaki over all the others.  I guess the wordsmith in me just likes the way the word yidaki (jɪˈdækɪ) sounds and rolls off of my tongue.

Now, it's time to head off to class and learn these newly-added ~ and accepted ~ words that are defining our language today and try using them in polite, daily conversation. Dare I say: OMG, sound the yidakis, let's enjoy a little bánh mì and, eventually, we'll all get a little cream crackered in the process! LOL. 

Here's the Oxford English Dictionary 'Class of 2011' words (presented alphabetically followed by their part of speech):

about round, adv.

ambigram, n.
banh mi, n.
Barnard's star, n.
bet-hedging, n.bet-hedging, adj.
biker, n.
biologic, adj. and n.
calligram, n.
car crash, n.
couch surf, v.
couch surfer, n.
couch surfing, n.
cream crackered, adj.
crème de cassis, n.
Divehi, n.
dot-bomb, n. and adj.
dotted line, n. and adj.
drill-down, n.
dubplate, n.
Dutch colonial, adj. and n.
ego-surf, v.
ego-surfing, n.
English colonial, adj. and n.
fabless, adj.
fnarr fnarr, int. and adj.
gnasher, n.
gremolata, n.
headline, v.
headlined, adj.
headlining, adj.
hentai, n.
heteronormative, adj.
heteronormativity, n.
Hindutva, n.
June, n.
kleftiko, n.
la-la land, n.
lari, n.
LOL, n.1
LOL, int. and n.2
lumpenintelligentsia, n.
meep, n. (and int.)
meep, v.
muffin top, n.
non-dom, n.
non-domicile, n.
non-domiciled, adj.
OMG, int., (n.), and adj.
pap, n.5
pap, v.3
party-crasher, n.
party-crashing, n.
party-crashing, adj.
radioprotectant, adj. and n.
rotograph, v.
rotoscope, v.
rotoscoped, adj.
rotoscoping, n.
rototill, v.
rototilled, adj.
rotten egg, n.
Rotterdammer, n.
Rottie, n.
rottle, n.2
rotty, adj.
rouding time, n.
rough-cut, adj.
rough-cut, v.
rough-dress, v.
roughed-in, adj.
rough-in, n.
roughstock, n.
roulade, v.
roulading, n.
roulette, v.
roundman, n.
round-nose, adj. and n.
round-trip, v.
roupily, adv.
Roussanne, n.
roustabouting, n.
routed, adj.2
router, n.6
routery, n.
routineness, n.
rowdily, adv.
rowed, adj.3
rower, n.3
rowlock, n.2
Royal Free disease, n.
royalness, n.
rozzle, v.
RSA, n.2
Rt. Rev., n.
Rt. Revd., n.
Ru, n.
rua, n.
ruach, n.
rub-a-dub, v.1
rubber-banded, adj.
rubberization, n.
rubberize, v.1
Rubisco, n.
rubrene, n.
rubrification, n.2
rubus, n.
ruck, v.7
ruckly, adj.2
rude, n.1
rudimentarily, adv.
ruesome, adj.
ruff, n.10
ruff, int. (and n.11)
rufiyaa, n.
Rugby sevens, n.
rugelach, n.
rugulate, adj.
ruleful, adj.
rumble-de-thumps, n.
Ruminal, adj.1
rumminess, n.1
rumour control | rumor control, n.
Rumping, adj.
rumspringa, n.
run-and-shoot, adj. and n.
runathon, n.
runchick, n.
Rungu, n.
runiform, adj.
run-round, n.
ruote, n.
Rupert, n.
RUPP, n.
Ruppia, n.
rural economics, n.
Rurales, n.
ruralite, n.
Russellite, n.1 and adj.
Russellite, n.2
Russellite, n.3
Russophilia, n.
Russophobic, adj.
Russophone, n. and adj.
russula, n.
rusticate, adj.
rusticator, n.
rusticle, n.
Rusyn, n. and adj.
Ruthenic, adj.1
ruthenous, adj.
Ruthian, adj.
rutinic, adj.
rutting, n.2
ryanodine, n.
ryotei, n.
ryugi, n.
Second Coming, n.
singledom, n.
Skidi, n. and adj.
smack talk, n.
smack talking, n.
smack-talking, adj.
spinback, n.
state-run, adj.
stonewash, n.
stonewash, v.
stonewashed, adj.
suicide door, n.
taquito, n.
tetri, n.
tinfoil hat, n.
Wag, n.4
wassup, int.
yidaki, n.

I ♥ words.