Word lovers looking to tap into their inner slangist have been given a helping hand as the latest list of fun words and phrases added to the Oxford English Dictionary has been revealed.
Slanguist – a person who frequently uses or uses slang words or phrases; even one who studies the use or historical development of jargon would be overjoyed to see the phrases he had early adopted added to the dictionary.
The word was one of more than 500 new or revised words and phrases added or whose meaning was updated in the OED in December.
Other new items include ‘Monday hammer’, a sledgehammer that feels like a Monday morning, and ‘talky talk’ – childish, silly or unimportant talk, or constant chatter or chatter.
During the break, you may have found yourself stuck in a conversation with a talkaholic – someone addicted to talking, especially one who talks excessively – who was eager to test the limits of the talkability of a particular subject – the quality of the can be discussed.
Monday hammer: a big sledgehammer that gets its name from the terrifying impact of going back to work after the weekend
Catfish: The verb catfish (to mislead someone online using a fictional or assumed persona) comes from the title of a 2010 documentary in which someone did just that (photo: self-proclaimed catfish Sarah Andres)
And people may be longing for some downtime after the holidays, when it’s traditional to gather with friends and family to eat, drink and engage in lengthy discussions, conversations or debates – known as a talkfest.
Now that the holidays are over, people need to be careful that January doesn’t ‘hit you like a Monday hammer’ – a big sledgehammer that gets its name from the terrifying impact of going back to work after the weekend.
Another word that has been updated is blinded – in a state of shock or dazed confusion; surprised.
As a child, you may have been blinded by “the Conversation,” which is used euphemistically to refer to adults’ attempts to explain to children how babies are made. The Talk can be about any important or difficult subject, but it is always a bit ominous and therefore appears with an imposing-looking capital T.
But in ‘the digital age’ – a new addition meaning the era characterized by the development and widespread use of digital technologies, digital media, etc. – it is not just personal speaking. Technology has introduced the word talkboard: an online forum or chat room.
Two terms have been added that come from message board 4chan. Copypasta – a block of text reproduced online, usually as an inside joke, originates from a pun on (or perhaps a typo in) copy-paste first seen in 2005.
This in turn led to the development of 2006’s creepypasta, “fiction or other media containing elements of horror or the paranormal, typically posted online in the form of short stories.”
Dumbledore: The word, which has been updated, is a historical term for a bumblebee, but the OED has also found that it was used as early as 1778 to mean ‘a dull, stupid, lazy fellow’ – a far cry from the twinkling brilliance of the magical headmaster of Hogwarts, played by the late Michael Gambon in the Harry Potter series
The OED also added the phrase “Chekhov’s gun” – a literary principle (particularly expressed by Russian writer Anton Chekhov) that states that unnecessary elements should not be introduced into a story, and that whatever elements a writer chooses should be relevant . to the story
WTAF also originated online and is used to express disbelief, shock, or disapproval; it follows in the footsteps of WTF, which was added to the OED in 2009.
The verb catfish (to deceive someone online using a fictional or assumed persona) comes from the title of a 2010 documentary in which someone did just that. The OED has still been careful to include the other meaning for catfish, defined as “fishing for catfish.”
The OED also added the phrase “Chekhov’s gun” – a literary principle (particularly expressed by Russian writer Anton Chekhov) that states that unnecessary elements should not be introduced into a story, and that whatever elements a writer chooses should be relevant . to the story.
“We decided that nice-to-have would be the icing on the cake of this quarter’s OED update,” the OED said in a press release. ‘Originally it meant ‘something nice to have’ (predictable) and earliest found in reference to a bowl of chops (less predictable), but this term is now usually contrasted with ‘must-have’ to mean something that is desirable but not -is essential.’
Dumbphone: A phone without smart technology or the advanced functionality typical of a smartphone
Crash test dummy: A life-size model of a person, usually equipped with sensors and designed to mimic real movements and reactions, used in vehicle safety testing to assess the effect of crashes, collisions, etc. on the driver and passengers of a vehicle. the car
The word Dumbledore, which has been updated, is a historical term for a bumblebee, but the OED also found that it had been used since 1778 to mean “a dull, stupid, lazy fellow” – which is a far cry from the twinkling brilliance of the magical headmaster of Hogwarts, played by the late Michael Gambon in the Harry Potter series.
This discovery emerged in the dictionary’s revision of the OED’s set of “dumb” terms, which also led to the addition of a crash test dummy, that is, a life-size model of a person, usually equipped with sensors and designed to simulate real to imitate movements and movements. responses, used in vehicle safety testing to assess the effect of crashes, collisions, etc. on the vehicle’s driver and passengers.
In vain they also added a dumbphone (a phone without smart technology or the advanced functionality typical of a smartphone). The OED said: ‘The widespread assumption that one’s phone is ‘smart’ has clearly created a need for this term, which describes not just those old bricks but also a new range of basic handsets that people are switching to to minimize the screen. time and maximize the digital detox.”