"M.W. it."
It's a common phrase heard during our nights on desk. And we all know what it means. It's our short hand for look it up in the dictionary (get it, Merriam-Webster -- I know, we're so clever).
And while in the days of yore, editors may have turned to the hard copy, since we're so technologically friendly these days, we usually have a tab open in our browser devoted to the online version.
Either way, though, no one can deny the awesomeness that is the dictionary (especially a word lover like myself). Apart from the general coolness of the tome, there's another aspect to it that rocks my world -- its ever evolving nature. Especially with the Internet, MW can stay up to date with new words entering our vocabulary daily.
However, I would guess, very few people actually notice these changes. One recent example is the definition of marriage. According to the Associated Press, the dictionary company in 2003 amended "marriage" to include "the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage."
And it sort of slipped under the radar (as the company put it, it's "neither news nor unusual") until a conservative news Web site recently reported on to the change, which brought it to the forefront of activists and conservatists minds. One particular man even created a YouTube video highlighting his concerns with the issue.
The Web site that put the spot light on the word said the company "has resolved the argument over whether the term 'marriage' should apply to same-sex duos or be reserved for the institution that has held families together for millennia: by simply writing a new definition."
While, like many of my posts, I'm not going to comment either way on the general theory behind the addition, I do think it's a wonderful example of the impact of words. We've always known the "pen is mightier than the sword" (sorry) -- but the power of putting something in writing never ceases to amaze me. And I think anything that sparks educated discussion is always a good thing.
