When I was a kid, people would always ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Unlike most kids, I never wanted to be a firefighter or astronaut or ostrich-riding cowboy on the Serengeti desert, wielding only an ice cream-shooting gun for protection (Sometimes, kids are not realistic).
I never had a real answer.
Through the first 24 years of my life, I was lost. “What do I want to do with my life?” I would ask. The answer would inevitably be a professional Seinfeld-watcher and Triscuit-eater.
Today, though, I have found my calling. I know exactly why I was put here on this planet, besides the fact that the other planets don’t really provide the oxygen I need for breathing.
I was born to be a word judge.
Merriam-Webster has announced the addition of 150 words to their dictionary, officially marking them as “real words.” After looking through all of the sounds the human mouth can make, Merriam and/or Webster have decided that tweet, bromance, and fist bump belong in an actual dictionary.
This is after the Oxford English Dictionary added the word “buttload” to their book. No, I am not making that up. It is defined as a large amount, roughly the amount that would fit inside of a hollowed out butt (That second part of the definition may be a little made up).
Somewhere, there are meetings by people to decide whether a word is REALLY a word or just sort of a word. Behind closed doors, they have added words like “frenemy,” the acronym “tbh” meaning to be honest, and “platypus.” (You know it’s a ridiculous name.)
If these chuckleheads can add words to the dictionary, surely I can do it. In fact, I would do it even better. I would become the Simon Cowell of the English language, eager to ridicule the words that should, in my opinion, not exist.
“How about the word ‘jibberorarily?’” the dictionary people would ask me, hoping to finally have approval.
“I have never had a word hit my ear drum with such an unpleasant ring in my life,” I would reply. “How about I add the word ‘kasplow.’ It is a verb meaning, ‘to kill one’s self so they do not have to hear a dreadful word like jibberorarily ever again.’”
Wordsmiths would travel across great distances to find me in hopes of having my approval of the word they have recently invented. Suddenly, I would be in control of the English language. “Time” would put me on the cover of their magazine and have a revealing tell all interview where I let them know that “Time” is a stupid name for a magazine.
Of course, I know you must be required to have something on your résumé that means you really are an expert in new words. I do not have the necessary experience under my belt.
There is no time like the present, though, for me to give this career path a shot. That is why I have decided to quit my job and become a word-inventor full time. Once I have adequate experience here, I will be able to transition into my dream job. It shouldn’t be that hard. Look at the words I’ve already come up with:
Saladish- adjective, much like a salad.
Swiiiiiiioooooosh- noun, the sound wind makes through an open car window
Windshrack- noun, a crack in a car windshield
See? I’m so good at this. It’s only a matter of time before they promote me to word judge.
So get your new words to me now. If you don’t, I can’t guarantee that they will make it into the English language when I’m in charge. They might be edged out by “Grrrrrup,” a noun meaning an especially rumbling belch.
Man, I am gifted.
My 11-year-old daughter uses “ginormica” in conversation to describe large objects. What do you think?
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I think they should all be gathered together in a book called ‘The Ginormicon’.
M
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Marie Marshall
writer/poet/editor/blogger
Scotland
http://mairibheag.com
http://kvennarad.wordpress.com
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I am all for that word. In fact, I may use it in my own life (of course I will give her credit each and every time it is said).
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I wouldn’t classify you as a wordsmith. You’re more a wordjones…a writer who’s hard to keep up with. 🙂
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Thank you, unless you meant that as an insult, in which case how dare you sir! You have besmirched my honor! (Here is where I would put a winky emoticon if I weren’t incredibly opposed to emoticons. I realize that by explaining that I would place an emoticon here, I have essentially placed a long, very wordy, emoticon. Actually, they really don’t seem like that bad of an idea now that I think about it. It’s a lot better than reading this.)
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How do you feel about “spork”? Do you feel it’s being over used of late?
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Spork can never be over used. That is the perfect combination of words, much better than knork or spife would be.
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Man, I knew I followed your posts for a reason…and there it is…
I thought Swoosh already existed (perhaps it has 2 meanings) as the sound fans make when a basketball player shoots a basket (all -net…no backboard) Swoosh! Accompanied by everyone doing an air mimic of them shooting the basket. (kind of like air guitar) Free throw…and the crowd goes “SWOOOOSH!”
That’s what we did in highschool anyway!
Sandi
http://www.ahhsome.wordpress.com
Lake Forest, CA
**Down 10lbs in 2 weeks/3rd week weigh in is on Monday! Wahoo!
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That is one of the definitions of swoosh. There are actually quite a few. My favorite is the sound that you hear as you realize that the rest of your high school gym class is much faster than you. You’re just jogging along when, all of a sudden, “Swoosh!”
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Re a ‘buttload’: this is precisely equivalent to 491 Litres, a ‘butt’ being a large wine cask. Just saying. 🙂
“When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before.” W Shakespeare ‘The Tempest’ Act 3 scene ii.
Otherwise it’s an archery target and, I guess, could only be ‘loaded’ with arrows.
Kind regards,
MM
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Marie Marshall
writer/poet/editor/blogger
http://mairibheag.com
http://kvennarad.wordpress.com
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Very insightful, although I’m fairly certain that the third graders I knew who said this were not speaking about wine or referencing Shakespeare. They really just like the word butt.
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Third graders would! 😀
M
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