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New words

(41 Posts)
grannyactivist Tue 11-Oct-16 23:28:02

As a girl I really loved coming across a new word, looking it up in the school dictionary, and then taking every opportunity I could to use it in a sentence. My siblings still joke about it now. These days it doesn't happen so often, but today I came across 'immiseration' for the first time. I'm already planning where and when to use it in a sentence.

(Miriam Webster - Definition of immiseration: the act of making miserable; especially: impoverishment <the immiseration of the working class — C. R. Morris>)

What new words have others come across recently?

BBbevan Wed 12-Oct-16 08:26:00

Just had an e-mail about an appointment. The person has' diarised' ( added to diary) the change ??
Never heard that before. An Americanism?

Lisalou Wed 12-Oct-16 09:25:02

I have no problem with learning new words, and actually delight in it, much as the OP does. On the other hand, I do not understand the current fashion for making up new words which are unnecessary. Diarising is silly, when you can just say "your appt has been confirmed and added to the diary", for instance. Another one I came across today and made a thread about is "unendorsing someone". Here I thought you withdrew your endorsement.

Why does the media do this?

Teetime Wed 12-Oct-16 09:30:34

Would Brexit be a good example of this?

DaphneBroon Wed 12-Oct-16 09:32:29

I have been fascinated by how words change their meaning and one recently is entitled.
I always thought it meant that a person had a right to something, as in "He's entitled to his opinion /insurance payout/15 minute coffee break"
However it seems to mean that a person selfishly FEELS they always come first, as in "young people today are come across as entitled" but without specifying WHAT they are "entitled" to.
When did this happen?

annodomini Wed 12-Oct-16 09:43:30

Thanks for 'immiseration', GA. I feel that this should be brought back into use in these days of what seems likely to be diminishing prosperity.

Tizliz Wed 12-Oct-16 11:54:35

Someone has just written an article on one of our products and used the word 'spannered' - meaning to tighten something with a spanner. New to me and the dictionary says it is a slang word. I think he invented this new meaning.

Teetime Wed 12-Oct-16 11:56:24

I really dislike 'gifted' and 'tasked'.

NanaandGrampy Wed 12-Oct-16 12:02:09

Where I was born Tizliz if you called someone 'spannered' it meant they were a bit stupid smile

Alima Wed 12-Oct-16 12:07:35

I remember the word "binary" from school, it was to do with the dreaded maths. Now I hear it everywhere, seems to have come back into fashion and has nothing to do with maths!

JackyB Wed 12-Oct-16 12:10:20

Well, you must admit that "diarise" is shorter than "I have put it in my diary" and "spannered" is shorter and more concise than "tighttened with a spanner".

I have subscribed to "Word of the Day" at dictionary.com (other word websites have a similar service) and sometimes it comes up with useful words, but many are already part of my everyday vocabulary.

My favourite recently was "druthers" - it's an Americanism, surprisingly.

www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/

pensionpat Wed 12-Oct-16 13:02:58

My favourite is when you can see that someone is writing a text but they haven't finished writing. On my iPhone it is a speech bubble with dots inside. The word us Textpectation

Crafting Wed 12-Oct-16 15:04:19

Not a new word but one I have just come across in a puzzle. Wether. I thought it was a spelling mistake for weather or whether but it turns out it means a castrated ram confused.

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:08:23

Yes, all on tv talk about binary this and binary that.Just say two choices and be done with it!

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:11:05

crafting wether (ram) has been in use for hundreds of years, and is a genuine example though ( as long as it's used only to describe a ram.)grin

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:13:00

24/7 is used by the media , can't imagine anyone outside the media saying it though, as normal folk say 'all hours'.

Bellanonna Wed 12-Oct-16 15:41:25

I hear lots of people say 24/7, roses, irritating as it is.

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:43:50

Really, Bella that's interesting.....would you describe them as normal folk?

Linsco56 Wed 12-Oct-16 15:43:54

I dislike some of the recent word blends e.g. 'chillaxing' a blend of chilling and relaxing and 'guesstimate' a blend of guess and estimate. Not sure why but Oxbridge has always slightly annoyed me too.

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:44:34

I only ask, as have never heard anybody say it in RL.

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:46:13

Yes Linscoe... I agree really, and try getting on a coach and asking for a return ticket to Oxbridge.grin

Linsco56 Wed 12-Oct-16 15:48:34

Oh gawd roses I think I said it last week when I phoned to complain that our street lighting had been on "24/7" grin

Linsco56 Wed 12-Oct-16 15:53:50

DH annoys me when he constantly asks tradesmen for a "ball park figure" rather than ask for an estimate.

I think I'm becoming an old grump!

rosesarered Wed 12-Oct-16 15:59:28

As are we all.smile

stillaliveandkicking Wed 12-Oct-16 20:12:02

My pet hates at the moment are all about moving..

It goes like this

You need to either "move" forward or "move on"

If they haven't quite done that yet, they've moving forward or moving on.

smile