WORDS - NEW ONES

Image taken from the New York Times article on which this post is based.

WORDS WORDS WORDS! What would we do without them? Well this blog certainly would be different - that's for sure. Our reservoir, our lexicon is constantly being emptied and refilled. Some words go unused (there are actually websites that allow people to adopt and promise to use words that are being neglected; Big Frank signed up on one, but forgot the word and so couldn't use it - for those or you interested in saving unused words - go here!) Well that the outflow of words; the inflow - the new ones, that is what this post is about. The image above, and the words, well most of them anyway, come from the New York Times article on the "Words of the Year". Go here for the full article.

Some of the famous new words are sweet: "retweet"; some are funny: "refudiate"; and some are befuddling: "quantitative easing". Some of Big Frank's favorites are: "porn scan" - the new air safety scanners, also called "strip-search scanners". Transportation was a rich area - how about "cuddle class" - we all know where on the airplane that is. And, of course, the "enhanced pat-down" - you know, when they slide their hands around on you looking for scary stuff. Then there is the "halfalogue" - that half of a conversation that you overhear when someone is on their cell phone. However, Big Frank's favorite is "mansplainer": "A man compelled to explain or give an opinion about everything — especially to a woman. He speaks, often condescendingly, even if he doesn’t know what he’s talking about or even if it’s none of his business. Old term: a boor."

However, there is one word that was left off this list, and Big Frank is going to put it on: "waa waa waamulance". As in: "You get to go out skiing and I have to toil away at work; not fair!" "Uh Oh: sombody better call the Waa Waa Wambulance".

Feel free to comment with your favorite words of the year. Big Frank would like to hear from you.