Commonly Used Words That Don't Exist

Discussion in 'The Chatterbox' started by DaltonGang, Feb 9, 2022.

  1. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    Jawn

    Outside of the metro Philadelphia area you don't hear it used, but it is common here. Not in Webster's Book of Words
     
  2. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I fig'er if I use a word and the other person knows what I mean, then it's a real word :taunt002:
     
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  3. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    Then Webster’s a fool.
     
  4. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Hey, it was on the internet.
    Gotta be true, ain't it? ;)
     
  5. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Another one that isn't(that is in the gonna wanna league)is "onh", as in "I'm onh shoot that arrow right into the bullseye".
     
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  6. brit

    brit in a box

    some say aliens are real too..
     
  7. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Aliens must be the ones who love to say "onh"
     
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  8. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    nothingburger

    prolly

    alot

    alright

    unthaw

    inflammable
     
  9. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    I'm a firm believer that whomever is running the Merriam-Webster dictionary company, is just throwing slang and made-up nonsensical words, into their "dictionary", just for sales and attention. It has gotten out of control with them, lately.

    .
     
  10. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Inflammable is a synonym of flammable.
    I've seen it used on signage many times.
     
  11. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    One short phrase that is, often times, misused is "I could care less". This is used in place of "I couldn't/could not care less". I see this used by many, purported or supposed, intelligent and educated people.
    Please people, don't be caught throwing this phrase around, in the wrong context.
     
  12. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I posted with tongue firmly planted in cheek ;)
     
  13. ewk

    ewk Well-Known Member

    It reflects an editorial choice. There are two traditional concepts in dictionaries. One is prescriptive, and resonates with nerds like me who want an authoritative pronouncement of how words should be used. Newspapers have editorial policies on phrasing and use of language. The Merriam-Webster example is descriptive, to reflect how language is used. This is actually a good thing. I would be lost without urban and slang dictionaries as I work with a younger clientele in a library. The venerable multi-volume Oxford English Dictionary is a great tool as it comprehensively traces the use of words in the English language from centuries ago to the present age.
     
  14. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Guess I'm a bit of a nerd myself, then. For Christmas my congregation gave me a copy of Webster’s 1828 Dictionary...and I was excited about it! As a pastor, I appreciate it because ol' Noah W. references scripture with his definitions.
     
  15. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    chillax

    awesomesauce

    hangry

    glamping

    staycation

    sorry not sorry
     
  16. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    I don't care for many of these "new wave" words, but I do like that "nothingburger".

    with "staycation", the "fancy new wave word thinkers" were trapped. They couldn't say "vacate", because that already has a meaning.
     
  17. richgem

    richgem suffering from chronic clicker hand cramps

    Which is why legislated languages (French, Dutch, I'm sure others) stand out to me. For those who don't know, I mean languages that have a governing body, for lack of a better term, which decides what words are officially part of the language and which aren't. As opposed to English that just vacuums up words as they come along and/or are invented. lol Of course, even with legislated languages, you'll always have those darn kids and their slang words.

    “The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”

    ― James D. Nicoll
     
  18. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Then there's always what I call you sometimes-BUDDEH.
     
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  19. gzp

    gzp Well-Known Member

    Here in the north, we usually spell it "youse".:p
     
  20. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    No apostrophe?
     
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