Tag Archives: word usage

Word Purge

Posted on August 22, 2011 by achouston

There is an online post at the British newspaper Guardian reporting on words to be excluded from new editions of dictionaries. The post invites readers to list their own choices for words they’d like removed from the English language. My … Continue reading →

Posted in Semantics, social context of language, Word Usage | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Bootstraps

Posted on January 9, 2011 by achouston

The word bootstrap is pretty common nowadays and shows up mostly as a verb. It is used frequently in the context of Internet and technology enterprises and refers to the process of getting things done, built, or advanced without much … Continue reading →

Posted in etymology, language change, Meaning Change | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Awesome

Posted on August 25, 2010 by achouston

The word awesome is extending its usage to function as a noun, not just an adjective, although the nominal usage isn’t showing up in dictionaries. Yet. Here are two recent real-life examples of awesome I have witnessed where awesome is … Continue reading →

Posted in language change, Word Usage | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Among and Amongst

Posted on August 4, 2010 by achouston

English usage seems to be getting hipper and leaner.  We’ve nearly lost our subjunctive mood (how many American English speakers even recognize this construction on the printed page?)  and whom should certainly be on the List of Endangered Words. (Is … Continue reading →

Posted in history of language, language change, social context of language | Tagged , , | 2 Comments