Spread the word

A few weeks ago, Paige tweeted about a site called SaveTheWords.org, and since then, I've been a woman possessed. The site is powered by the Oxford Dictionary, and features words that have been stricken from new editions. They do this with the idea that if people learn, remember and use them, the words will be saved.

Well never have I heard a more romantic idea. I understand that dictionaries are intended to reflect the current lexicon--words that people know, use and understand. Sometimes words get dropped from our speech, or lose their applicability to modern life. Language is an ever-evolving thing, and its changes should be reflected in the Bibl, uh I mean, dictionary. Each year, dictionaries add thousands of word. The 11th edition of Merriam Webster saw the addition of "drama queen" and "supersize" and "gastric bypass." This year they added "webinar" and "mental health day." Talk about reflecting cultural shifts. The most recent Oxford revisions added the words "mentee" and "celebutante."

But what about the words that were stricken? The thought of them disappearing makes me sad and anxious. It's like thinking about out of print books. People took the time to write and read them, and as the copies become rarer and harder to find, those works get lost and forgotten. SavetheWords says 90 percent of speech is communicated through 7,000 words.

That's not enough.

Go there and add to your vocabulary, work them into conversation. Or else I will be very misquemed.