There are two definitions of this word offered up by Merriam Webster. The first is the more well-known version. “A new word, usage, or expression.” This was definitely my definition of it, but the second definition is by far my favorite. “A meaningless word coined by a psychotic.”
Basically, this is a post in appreciation of ever evolving language and meaningless, psychotic, made-up words.
What’s your favorite neologism?
COME AT ME, BRO
U MAD?
TOTES TROLLING
COOL STORY, BRO
UR STOOPID
…
I’m on the internet for five minutes and I see these grammar monstrosities. I think I might just turn in early if this is all I’m going to read tonight. I could feel my IQ dropping as I typed them out.
Cool story, bro, but there is nothing wrong with that statement, unless you are referring to the neologism ‘bro’. In that case, you should probably stop being so close-minded, because the language is changin’ and it’s a beautiful thing.
Seasons aren’t capitalized. Times of day aren’t capitalized (ex. noon, afternoon, etc.). So, why should days be capitalized?
Beautiful readings of real youtube comments.
Semicolons are something I have mentioned here before, but haven’t completely covered. When using a semicolon, most people don’t.
There is a sad lack of semicolons in common culture, but more than that is when people misuse my little gem.
Semicolons may be my favorite punctuation mark in the entire English language. I love them more than commas and I am a well-known comma-abuser.
Semicolons, among other less known uses, are for connecting two independent sentences together. It brings meaning and context to both.
Example time:
I took a walk with my dog. She was a cute little thing.
I took a walk with my dog; she was a cute little thing.
(Not) I took a walk with my dog; cutie that she is. (This one was bad.)
Anyway, did y’all know that colons can also be used to connect sentences?
This sentence can be understood in two ways, the first invoking it’s face value, i.e. ‘vocative marker possessive marker divine being’, the second being ‘expression of surprise, emphasis etc’.
To say oh my God does not make you a bad atheist, it merely shows that you’ve been brought up in a culture where the use of a vocative invoking the Lord’s name is culturally ingrained into your sternum. You might just as well say salmonella, the face value of the word is of less importance than it’s cultural place in the environment you are in.
In Arabic phrases invoking Allah’s name function in similar ways - mash’allah, insh’allah, ya’allah and so on - and to believe that one is showing that one believes in a specific deity by using any of these phrases is to fully misunderstand the place culture plays in the formation of our language.
To replace oh my God with oh my atom is just silly, and is far more than an attempt at being creative with language (cf. fuck! turning into fudge! or fiddlesticks!, i.e. examples of softening where words that are closely related as far as sound go are used as safe place-holders for a ruder word), it is a rather useless exercise which misunderstands the non-arbitrary connection between signifier and signified.
Oh my God is not a prayer unless you makes it one. Fuck is not an imperative order for someone to engage in coitus.
I think this video carries a good message for all grammarians to remember.
Notable quote(in case you are lazy): “But let me just acknowledge that the job of grammar and pronunciation is to make language as clear and efficient and transparent as possible, right? But if we’re all constantly correcting each other’s grammar and being really snotty about it, then people stop talking, because they start to be petrified that they’ll make some kind of terrible grammatical error and that’s precisely the opposite of what grammar is supposed to do.”
I have a confession. I sat through three years of French in high school and learn very little French. I could probably have a very short conversation with you, but it wouldn’t be impressive. What I did learn, however, was English.
My French teacher’s favorite complaint was “how am I supposed to teach you French if you don’t know English?”
Interestingly, the French language holds a few tips and tricks which we can apply to English grammar. The one I remember best is referred to in the title. The difference between ‘to’ and ‘too’.
In French, verbs are attached to prepositions. ‘To have” is avoir. ‘To do’ is faire. Those two examples should suffice. The point is: the French language recognizes that a preposition is supposed to be attached to a verb. They are buddies.
In conclusion, if you have trouble with prepositions, learn French!
http://www.youtube.com/user/MerriamWebsterOnline
I just found out that Merriam Webster has a very awesome youtube channel, to which I will be subscribing momentarily. Thanks Tumblr!
(Source: bottazzella)
psychoglossia replied to your post: psychoglossia answered your question: Which one…
Typically in everyday conversation, “parameters” is used. “Perimeter” tends to be more specific.
That’s what I was thinking, but they are both rather similar and appropriate for use in the way people use parameter in general conversation. Words are cool.
