Quotation slips (Photo credit: addedentry)
Another ignorant Non-News flash blinded me today…srsly. Folks…I just click and collect this stuff, but I’m entering digital detox in three days, so don’t supercut me out of your readership. (Like it or not, these words symbolize our culture, so learn to love and use them correctly, or some may consider you as literate as a chimpanzee).
The Oxford Dictionaries Online has been at it again. Just today they added their latest batch of words into their database. Here’s a few of the more buzzworthy examples:
badassery (n.): behavior, characteristics, or actions regarded as intimidatingly tough or impressive.
(This has become difficult with the rise of technologically mediated communications, giving rise to Anthony Wiener-like social networking activities)
buzzworthy (adj.): anything likely to gain attention from or arouse interest from the public.
(Now, if that guy Wiener isn’t buzzworthy, I just can’t imagine who would be…anyone want to try and compete with a mayor even New York doesn’t deserve?)
food baby (n.): this is the protruding stomach one gets after eating a large quantity of food, creating the semblance of the early stage of pregnancy…maybe enough to make a girl or woman appear with child, as some people still say.
(Don’t even get Wiener started with his food baby…the Tweets will never cease and sleep will become impossible)
jorts (n.): denim shorts, like those old hippies used to wear instead of $125 designer shorts, or, in the South, a synonym for Daisy Dukes.
(Ohhhh, Daisy Duke…now there’s someone that geek could focus his Wienering ways upon)
Weiner Hangs It Up (Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com)
omnishambles (n.): a completely mismanaged situation, recognized by the string of blunders and miscalculations strung out behind the resultant disaster.
(Again, this brings a Mr. Anthony Wiener to mind…and I just wanted to throw his name around some more – first, because it’s just fun, and second, because it transitions well with just about any of these words, such as…
selfie (n.): smartphones and other modern digital toys made brought us this word, meaning a photograph of oneself, then uploaded to a social media website.
(Anthony Wiener inspired, no doubt)
English: Miley Cyrus singing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
twerk (v.): dancing in provocative, hip-thrusting manner – often done while squatting or lying on the floor while grinding away as if a sexual act is being portrayed.
(Attributed to Miley Cyrus’ recent performance at the MTV Music Awards, but did these people ever hear of Elvis…Jim Morrison…Jimi Hendrix…Tina Turner…Mick Jagger…or Anthony Wiener?)
There are more, but why go on. These are just more examples of a disposable culture run amok, further exemplified by a few words added over past years for no good reason other than they were srsly buzzworthy for a minute. Most of these are as cryptic – if not more craptic – than these new additions. Try these out in your next literary work…click and collect, digital detox, emoji, supercut, phablet, srsly, apols, BYOD, FOMO, grats, and vom.
I think I’m done here for now…or maybe for good. I’ll check back when I check out of the Word Addition Rehabilitation Project for the Evolutionarily Devoid (WARPED, to you and me).
(Yes…spellcheck red-lined each of these new entries. Guess the word(s) haven’t got out yet).
Well, speaking as one truly hep, I do believe that I am always worthy of a buzz … unless I’m running low on shoe polish and those giant magic-markers, then I just go down to the Greyhound bus station and spend a few hours hanging out in the rear of the parking lot. Works every time. Yo, word.
I’ve seen “twerking” twice, and “selfie” three times on WordPress over the past two days. And, they weren’t pointing out the oddity of placement in a dictionary. Don’t know if it’s one of those awareness issues, or if it’s really a of-the-moment fad.
Later…
I suppose twerk is like LOL and all the other words 13 year olds use that, due to the Internet, reach a much wider audience than ever before. Perhaps in another month we will all have forgotten such word even existed and it’s only purpose will be a curious footnote in the Outdated Internet Slang Dictionary.
I had another intelligent voice on WordPress mention something similar, and ask about words like “boffo.” I wondered if they ever go through and clean house, taking out these faddish words. Don’t really care, just wonnered.
Later…
Perhaps boffo is the singular of boffin? British slang for a scientist. Or it could be a failed Nerf toy: “the amazing Boffo, not safe for children of any age.” Luckily slang has a very short shelf-life. In another month we’ll forget anyone ever actually used the term.
LOL! But how do you ‘really’ feel about Mr. Anthony Wiener?
I Loooove him, for humor’s sake. Used to write political commentary until it made me feel dirty. Started around the time of Reagan, and without people like him or “W” around – let alone Wilbur Mills and other miscreants, the news would be serious. Power, cash, and the short attention/memory spans of the led can lead to some strangeness in a strange land. Miss your posts, but glad you check in on the wife and myself every now and again. The best to you and yours…
Later…
I am glad you brought this up. We need to stay ahead of the language changes brought about by shit that doesn’t matter. I was thinking of doing a blog on terms that were once popular but no longer carry the same appeal due to the change in timing. They have to be one word and instantly describe the action. I am thinking of something like “boffo” which used to describe a major success.
That post was somewhat useless, except for a little momentary entertainment, maybe. Languages are fluid – not so much now due to global media, but I’ve traveled enought to know that areas long settled language can change from one city to another just down the road. The difference I see is these changes are not an entire group’s language evolving, but a small group, usually age-defined and spurred by disposable culture re-defining one of the most important aspects of culture. I don’t know…do these older references get removed once they go out of style? I thought about the size of dictionaries as a reference point, but it will all be online eventually. And, yes…your idea for a retro word/phrase post is boffo.
Later…
Now, I feel very educated on the new lingo.
Got you covered !
Later…
Badassery with a twerk, please. Make it a double.
Drank seven of those my selfie this morning…srly enough for now.
Later…
I think Badassery may have to be my new favourite word. I really want to hear the Queen of England say it in a speech.
On Wed, Aug 28, 2013 at 10:14 AM, Human Writes
Too much…I can imagine her highness now – “The badassery selfie is srly a call for a good twerking…” in response to the Wienerization of the English political landscape. Edigying…
Later…
Okay the Anthony Wiener references cracked me up. Seriously can’t believe that guy, but oh well…
I’ve heard of some of these, but I’d have to agree with the previous comment – food baby is a bit a creepy. Does anyone wonder why Americans are becoming so obese?
Good point on the dancing. Every generation seems to have had shocking/provocative entertainers. I remember hearing once that on a TV performance, they only filmed Elvis from the waist up. I’m sure generations to come will continue to shock the older ones. Seems the thing to do…
Yes, food baby was the one that stuck out the most to me…one I will NEVER use ever again. You always get it…you’re so fun.
Later…
Food baby always disturbed me. As if the food was going to find some way to be born like from the movie ‘Alien’. Just weird. Guess I know what twerking is now. Until today, I thought it was a type of involuntary muscle spasm.
You are so current ! I had – and still have – little idea where such nonsense comes from. I’m so isolated.
Later…
I envy you for that. Some of the new words in this culture are ridiculous.