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[MThanded]

Collins, a leading British dictionary publisher since 1819, is looking to the public to suggest new words for its latest edition.

The typically closed submission process for new words will be opened up to anyone who speaks the English language for the next version of the dictionary.

“For Collins Online Dictionary, it was essential that we keep our ear close to the ground listening out for new words emerging from pop culture, science and technology,” Alex Brown, Head of Digital at Collins said in a statement. “Most dictionaries are static. By allowing the public to truly participate, we’re ensuring that we stay on top of the evolving English language.”

Anyone can submit words they think should be included via the Collins website. Collins will post all of the suggestions on its site for feedback, and select some of the most popular for inclusion based on a number of criteria including frequency of use, number of sources and staying power.

Collins will ultimately decide which words are included based in part on its 4.5 billion-word database of language called the Collins Corpus. The Corpus takes words from a wide range of spoken and written English sources -– such as newspapers, radio, and social media -– and determines how important a word may or may not be to society as a whole.

Collins has already identified an initial list of new word candidates. It includes: creeping, cray, legbomb, yolo, mantyhose, superphone, sweatworking, Tebowing, tweeps and twitlit.

Collins editors will provide feedback on user submissions typically within two and three weeks of submission. Words that are not initially accepted will continue to be monitored and reviewed over the next year for potential inclusion.

“We know people are passionate about the preservation and evolution of the English language, and we want to tap into that as new words continue to capture the public imagination,” added Brown.

Each word will have to prove its own worthiness to be included in the dictionary. Collins says submissions that include information such as word origins, example sentences, and sizable amounts of overall uses will potentially stand a better chance of being noticed by editors.

What words do you think should be included in the dictionary? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

http://mashable.com/2012/07/17/collins-crowd-sourcing-dictionary/

 

[Grimm Fandango]

Why not, YOLO.

 

[Divvy]

Those are all terrible choices.

 

[foodtaster]

YODO

You only define once

 

[marrec]

I vote for creeping, and a picture of Devo as the definition.

 

[Clydefrog]

dat shit cray

 

[el retorno]

http://mashable.com/2012/07/17/collins-crowd-sourcing-dictionary/

Collins has already identified an initial list of new word candidates. It includes: creeping, cray, legbomb, yolo, mantyhose, superphone, sweatworking, Tebowing, tweeps and twitlit.

I understand the bolded but what the heck are the others?

 

[GK86]

The list of words is depressing.

 

[Esch]

creeping should be a word, its rather useful

 

[Stoof]

FUCK.

I hate that term so much.

 

[McNei1y]

I know what 3 of those words mean.

 

[Ein Soph Aur]

Stupid

 

[ultron87]

Legbomb? Sweatworking? Those are just phrases missing spaces.

I am also totally unaware of their definitions.

 

[MThanded]

I understand the bolded but what the heck are the others?

I have no idea.

 

[Powdered Toastman]

I understand the bolded but what the heck are the others?

Manty(hose)

 

[samus i am]

 

[MThanded]

Wonder if neogaf could get a word onto the list.

I'm sure reddit will get some foolishness on there pretty easily.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Oh fuck this

 

[Grakl]

Creeping is fine. That's it.

 

[RubxQub]

What the hell is going on?! :lol

Surely this has to be some kind of "we need to figure out a way to sell dictionaries" or some shit, right? There's no way anyone involved with these organizations ACTUALLY want these words in there, right?

 

[Gorillaz]

No point adding yolo since it will be a dead word very soon.

 

[NEOPARADIGM]

I like how prescriptivists still think what they do matters.

Hint: those all are already words.

 

[Omegasquash]

My friends love it when this happens, because they can start trolling me. I expect texts to start tonight.

Fucking....shit.

 

[Switters]

Am I the only one that has never heard this expression uttered by someone in real life?

Is it something people in their 20's do?

 

[jakncoke]

Tebowing? are you fucking serious. goddamit

 

[Puddles]

Creeping wasn't already a word? It's the progressive form of the verb "to creep", no?

 

[LosDaddie]

Am I the only one that has never heard this expression uttered by someone in real life?

Is it something people in their 20's do?

While attending my city's 4th of July event, I saw a dad with a YOLO shirt on. Black shirt, huge white letters.

 

[G-Fex]

That shit is cray

 

[Kinyou]

What the hell is going on?! :lol

Surely this has to be some kind of "we need to figure out a way to sell dictionaries" or some shit, right? There's no way anyone involved with these organizations ACTUALLY want these words in there, right?

That's what I think. How else is a dictionary going to make the news.

 

[Degen]

i'm afraid to ask what "mantyhose" means because it sounds self-explanatory

 

[Lazy Man's Wallpaper]

I really don't like YOLO, but the worst has to be FTFY. It was bad enough when people were rampantly saying "fixed that for you" on forums, but now that it's been made into an acronym it's even more enraging.

 

[Altazor]

IFHY

I fucking hate YOLO

 

[Skellig Gra]

dictionary goin' cray

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

I really don't like YOLO, but the worst has to be FML. It was bad enough when people were rampantly saying "fuck my life" on forums, but now that it's been made into an acronym it's even more enraging.

FTFY

 

[FillerB]

YODO

You only define once

Indeed

 

[strafer]

YOLO sounds like a caramel drink.

 

[Papercuts]

How the hell is creeping not a word already?

 

[TheJollyCorner]

"and we want to tap into that as new words continue to capture the public imagination,” added Brown.

...and this is why the meteor has been summoned to destroy this modern culture on 12/21/2012.

 

[Skellig Gra]

...and this is why the meteor has been summoned to destroy this modern culture on 12/21/2012.

YOLO

 

[snoopeasystreet]

YOLO

Fuck everything.

 

[Puddles]

The only cray anyone needs is cray-fucking-fish.

 

[jerry1594]

Oh my god why? Drake getting a word in the dictionary would make me age 10 years.

 

[Fari]

Do many people use YOLO in a non-ironic context?

It seems like some sort of huge in-joke.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

Why not, YOLO.

#YOLO.

 

[reKon]

FUCK

 

[blame space]

what's a superphone

 

[SquiddyCracker]

what's a superphone

Google it.
You only YOLO once.

 

[TabletopTictacs]

Creeping wasn't already a word? It's the progressive form of the verb "to creep", no?

I thought that too and Googled it. It's apparently a word in its own right now; to stalk someone online through Facebook/Twitter etc. is creeping.

 

[jerry1594]

IFHY

I fucking hate YOLO

HYFR

 

[IceCold]

This is why English has the most words compared to any language. People keep adding stupid words to English dictionaries.