Ginormous is Now a Real Word

[BarTopDancer]

Story here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_us/dictionary_s_new_words;_ylt=ArnnrN7.tgdLdbfoX4y7Az fMWM0F)

It was a ginormous year for the wordsmiths at Merriam-Webster. Along with embracing the adjective that combines "gigantic" and "enormous," the dictionary publishers also got into Bollywood, sudoku and speed dating.

[Kevy Baby]

Ginormous is soooo last year!

[Alex]

Ah, now I understand.

Last night Lani was talking about how somebody saying "ginormous" makes her want to punch them in the head. I said the same is true for me and "sammich."

So if we ever heard someone say they were making themselves a "ginormous sammich" at least we'd go to jail together.

But I didn't know why she'd brought it up.

[Stan4dSteph]

I'll make a note of that. I like using ginormous, but I don't like punches in the head.

[lashbear]

and don't forget Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirthy.

[Alex]

I'll make a note of that. I like using ginormous, but I don't like punches in the head.

Who doesn't like punches to the head? Everybody loves punches to the head!

I'll agree that her objection to ginormous seems silly but then I'm sure everybody else thinks my visceral response that "sammich" is obnoxious babytalk is retarded as well.

[Chernabog]

I'll agree that her objection to ginormous seems silly but then I'm sure everybody else thinks my visceral response that "sammich" is obnoxious babytalk is retarded as well.

Pasghetti is equally screwed up. But the worst is two grown men talking to each other in babytalk. Oh man. My friend does that with his b/f and it drives me bonkers. "Hewwwo moopypookykins!" :eek: :eek:

[JWBear]

I still say "pasghetti" sometimes.... :blush:

[innerSpaceman]

I don't see what's wrong with Ginormous.

How many words, do you suppose, would be eliminated from the dictionary if all combinations of prior words for the last thousand years were disqualified?


Get off your high, frozen-language horse and embrace the wonders of the English Tongue and the reasons it is the world's dominent international babel.

[Not Afraid]

Bollywood is a new word?

[Morrigoon]

Awww man, ginormous is a real word now? That takes all the fun out of it!

(Haha, at least spell check still thinks it's fake!)

[JWBear]

Oh... And while I'm in a mood... I want to point out that "Ginormous" was a "real word" the second people started using it.

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, being in Webster's does not make it a real word. That's merely an overdue acknowledgment of its realwordness.








ETA: Webster's will never admit it, but fvcktard is a real word.

[Prudence]

I'm waiting for the inclusion of eleventeen and umptysquillion.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I recognize that languages evolve but some of it just makes me cringe. I died a little when it was pointed out to me that "aint" is in the dictionary.

[€uroMeinke]

I prefer a dynamic langauge that allows for such changes even if some do make me cringe - I still prefer that to having some English academy declaring what are and are not appropriate words for our langauge

[Alex]

By no means am I grammar nazi or a proscriptionist. Language is how it is used. If enough people say nukular then that is how it is pronounced (or at least an acceptable pronunciation). And so on.

But that doesn't prevent me from thinking that certain utterances make the utterer sound pretty darn stupid.

[Gemini Cricket]

I never use that word. I find it silly.

[Stan4dSteph]

I like it. It makes me think of Elf, which makes me smile. But I do understand how it could annoy someone. It's not a real word, and I'm sure it could be overused.

[Alex]

Is Elf where it came from? That would explain why it seemed to come out of the blue.

[Stan4dSteph]

Is Elf where it came from? That would explain why it seemed to come out of the blue.That's where I got it from.

[€uroMeinke]

But that doesn't prevent me from thinking that certain utterances make the utterer sound pretty darn stupid.

There I agree - and thank the dynamic nature of my language that while some people can use such annoying words and phrases, I've a vast thesaurus to choice words more to my own liking - even if does make me a pretentious snob.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm waiting for the inclusion of eleventeen and umptysquillion.

And ellalator and escavator.

I type sammich and say sketti for spaghetti (always had a hard time saying spathetti and sketti just stuck). Good thing Alex isn't really around these parts :p

Now spaghetti just sounds funny in my head.

[lashbear]

Bollywood is a new word?

...and they're still gettnig it wrong !

It means "Bombay Hollywood" so now, with Bombay's name change, it should be called

Mollywood !!!!

[lashbear]

BTD: I thought it was "Sketties" plural.

...as in "I is in ur kitchen eating all ur sketties"

[Not Afraid]

Mollywood: A phenomenon that happened to Teen boys in the 80's while watching Molly Ringwald films.

[blueerica]

I remember using it pre-Elf, though I'm not sure how I heard it first. It was fun until Elf because after that everyone was using it... applying to things that weren't even ginormous.

[BarTopDancer]

BTD: I thought it was "Sketties" plural.

...as in "I is in ur kitchen eating all ur sketties"

No, that's the cat saying "I is in ur internetz messing with your settings"

[Alex]

Finally reading the link (RTFM!!) I am interested to see that it dates back to at least 1948 in British military slang.

[lashbear]

No, that's the cat saying "I is in ur internetz messing with your settings"

See my edited post above... :D

My first attempt at a Lolcat....

[BarTopDancer]

KITTY!!!!

[blueerica]

Haha, I totally neglected to read the article. GAH! Good call, Alex.