Whether we like it or not, dictionaries are living,
breathing documents, and new words are added to
them regularly.
Although the Oxford English Dictionary editors get
the final say, they actually look to us to dictate
whether a word should be added. In other words,
we have no one but ourselves to blame for all the
weird words that make the cut every year.
But we can at least share the blame with
technology. None of us would be saying "srsly" if
we hadn't felt the urge to shorten words for text
messages and emails. We wouldn't be voting
anyone off the island if not for the television series
Survivor. And, perhaps most importantly, there
would be no need for the word "meatspace"
without the existence of the virtual world. (One
could argue there is still no need.)
Want to see what weird words were added to the
OED thanks to internet slang and technology? Read
on.
20 Weird Words Added to the Dictionary Thanks
to Technology
1) Screenager (n.)
A person in their teens or twenties who has an
aptitude for computers and the internet.
"Clever games designers have worked out exactly
how to push the buttons of screenagers in the way
other media have failed to do."
2) Meatspace (n.)
The physical world, as opposed to the virtual
world.
"I'd like to know a little more before we get
together in meatspace."
3) Slacktivism (n.)
Actions performed via the internet in support of a
political or social cause but regarded as requiring
little time or involvement, (e.g. signing an online
petition or joining a campaign group on a social
media website).
"Such email alerts make slacktivism easy."
4) Al desko (adv. & adj.)
While working at one's desk in an office (with
reference to the consumption of food or meals).
"An al desko lunch."
5) MOOC (n.)
A free course of study made available over the
internet to a very large number of people.
"Anyone who decides to take a MOOC simply logs
on to the website and signs up."
6) Netiquette (n.)
The correct or acceptable way to use the internet.
"Should there be some kind of protocol or
netiquette associated with directing large volumes
of traffic to other websites?"
7) Dox (v.)
To search for and publish private or identifying
information about a particular individual on the
internet, typically with malicious intent.
"Hackers and online vigilantes routinely dox both
public and private figures."
First World problem (n.)
A relatively trivial or minor problem or frustration
(implying a contrast with serious problems such
as those that may be experienced in the
developing world).
"It's a First World problem, but still if you're
staying at a 5-star resort you expect some decent
service."
9) Srsly (adv.)
Seriously.
"Srsly though, I see where you're coming from."
10) Cyberchondriac (n.)
A person who compulsively searches the internet
for information about particular real or imagined
symptoms of illness.
"Everybody is terribly health-conscious these days
-- it's not a surprise that many people are
becoming cyberchondriacs."
11) Lamestream (adj. & n.)
Used to refer contemptuously to the mainstream
media.
"Why as the lamestream media been so silent on
the issue?"
12) Gigaflop (n.)
A unit of computing speed equal to one billion
floating-point operations per second.
"He said the latest terascale supercomputing
system has several hundred gigaflops of sustained
power."
13) Fat finger (n.)
Used to refer to clumsy or inaccurate typing,
typically resulting from one finger striking two keys
at the same time.
"The programming problem turned out to be a
case of fat finger."
14) Nom nom (exclamation)
Used to express pleasure at eating, or at the
prospect of eating, delicious food.
"Chili and cornbread for dinner, nom nom!"
15) Egosurf (v.)
To search the internet for instances of one's own
name or links to one's own website.
"I decided to take a break and do a little
egosurfing."
16) Boyf (n.)
A person's boyfriend.
"She's just been dumped by her boyf."
17) Vote (someone or something) off the island
(v.)
To dismiss or reject someone or something as
unsatisfactory.
"When a CEO gets voted off the island, the CFO
typically gets dumped, too."
18) Phablet (n.)
A smartphone having a screen which is
intermediate in size between that of a typical
smartphone and a tablet computer.
"A 3.5-inch screen is inadequate in a market that
is trending toward phablets."
19) Woot (exclamation)
Used to express elation, enthusiasm, or triumph,
especially in electronic communication.
"I definitely get Fridays off, woot!"
20) Facepalm (n.)
A gesture in which the palm of one's hand is
brought to one's face as an expression of dismay,
exasperation, embarrassment, etc.
"I'm pretty sure said friend now thinks Anne and I
are dating -- facepalm!"

Dem go soon add 'Nairalander'