OMG! The exclamatory online abbreviation has won the approval of the Oxford English Dictionary.
The term - short for "Oh my God" or "Oh my gosh" - is one of dozens of new entries in the authoritative reference book's latest online update.
Other internet-inspired expressions given the stamp of approval include LOL, "laughing out loud"; IMHO, "in my humble opinion"; and BFF, "best friends forever."
Although the terms are associated with modern electronic communications, some are surprisingly old. The first confirmed use of "OMG" was in a letter in 1917.
Not all the new abbreviations originated online. One new entry is wag, for "wives and girlfriends." First used in 2002 to describe the female partners of the England soccer team, it is now used to denote the glamorous and extravagant female partners of male celebrities.
The new update includes about 900 new words and meanings, from "flat white" - a milky espresso-based drink originating from Australia and New Zealand - to "muffin top," defined as "a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers."
The dictionary also includes a new entry for "heart" as a verb, a casual equivalent of "to love" that is represented with a symbol, as seen on millions of souvenirs proclaiming "I (heart) New York."
The internet version of the online Oxford Dictionary was launched in 2000 and is updated every three months.
No comments:
Post a Comment