Merriam-Webster word of the year isn’t even a word

13
Dec
2007

Merriam-Webster word of the year isn’t even a word

Written by Sean P Aune | under General, Writing

w00t! So, Merriam-Webster conducted a poll of what their visitors thought the word of the year was.

w00t… w-zero-zero-t

This isn’t a word people, it’s a sound. It’s like the dictionary adding “d’oh” from The Simpsons, it annoys me as it is not a real word. Sounds should not be in the dictionary, I’m sorry, but I just don’t think they should be.

While w00t hasn’t made it yet, it could, especially with this backing it, which make me think I will never, ever, use this word again for any reason…

This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.

13083 Responses2007-12-14+05%3A24%3A08Sean+P+Aune so far | Have Your Say! | Comments RSS

Contrary Jack | December 14th, 2007 at 10:59 am #

w00t? D’oh?

Bah! Hey! Yahoo! Hurrah!

Ahem…

…which is to say, the interjection is a well-established lexical category. Words are sounds with meaning attached.
Sean P Aune | December 14th, 2007 at 11:02 am #

I suspected this would get a comment from you *laugh* I don’t consider the one’s you mentioned, with the exception of “Yahoo” words. And in the case of w00t… it’s usually spelled with numbers… I just don’t get it.
Nikki | December 20th, 2007 at 5:17 pm #

I’m okay with interjections and sounds as words, however, I am NOT okay with a word like w00t, simply because you can’t spell words with numbers! You can’t spell words with numbers!! Never in the history of the world has there ever been a word with a number in it. And there shouldn’t be. You keep those numbers away from my words. They don’t belong there. This is not math class! Segregation now!