September 25, 2008 - 1:20 P.M.
Why dictionary editors don't like blogs
- TAGS:dictionary, language
- IT TOPICS:Internet
What's most remarkable to me about my story this week about how high tech terms get into popular dictionaries is that having a preponderance of Web references isn't good enough for a new term to get a listing. In fact, Web references aren't even given the same weight as citations from dead tree publications.
For a word to make the cut, Merriam-Webster's editor wants to see it appear in "serious" (read print) publications. They'll consider citations from online publications with "carefully edited prose,"such as Salon.com but blogs? Forget it. They're not even part of the equation.
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