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September 17, 2003
Buzz words, or how we all start using the same weird words...
Dappled Things is interested in the buzz words you are hearing in the blogosphere.
Have you ever noticed how a word you've never heard before or at least never used in general conversation suddenly takes on a life of its own? You start seeing/hearing/reading it everywhere. Sometimes it's a neat new word that really fills a niche; it conveys something that you never really had the exact right word for before. Or maybe it's just fun to say. You like to repeat it over and over and over, just to hear the sound of it. Then again there are some words that enter the mainstream or maybe just your personal sphere that almost immediately begin to grate on your sensibilities. Business jargon is great for this. I remember a number of years ago when everyone was talking about paradigms and paradigm shifts. Lately I've seen a couple of words take off in the blogosphere, although perhaps I'm late coming to them. Everyone and his brother is being described as snarky. And everyone else has a new meme to share and propagate. If you've never heard either of these words, where've you been???? :) Here are the entries in Merriam-Webster online ( a great dictionary source if you aren't aware of it. My officemate and I used it the other day just to make sure we were pronouncing template correctly. )Main Entry: snärky
Pronunciation: 'snarkE
Function: adjective
Etymology: dialect snark to annoy, perhaps alteration of nark to irritate
Date: 1906
: CROTCHETY, SNAPPISHMain Entry: meme
Pronunciation: 'mEm
Function: noun
Etymology: alteration of mimeme, from mim- (as in mimesis) + -eme
Date: 1976
: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a cultureWhat are the buzz words you're hearing? which do you love? which do you hate? :)
Posted by Rich at 08:27 AM in Weblogs | Permalink | Edit(Rich only)
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» WORLD magazine on blogging from karagraphy
I guess I didn't make up the word blogosphere after all.... [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 19, 2003 8:13:21 AM
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how about blogosphere? :)
Posted by: joy mccarnan at Sep 17, 2003 8:55:06 AM
LOL. You caught me. :-) Oh no, I used LOL, instead of laugh out loud. I am worse off than I thought. I used emoticons, no smileys. Oh, noooooooooooooooooooooo
Posted by: Rich at Sep 17, 2003 9:29:11 AM
Yep, Joy, but come add your word at my place! :) I think I learned blogosphere from you. ;)
Posted by: Bet at Sep 17, 2003 10:23:29 AM
OH! Did I make it up? I forgot. Cool. I have tried on occasion to think up bloggish words. If you ever think of a good word for a female blogger, let me know. My fave is still bloggeine, but the suggestions from fellow females have been hilarious so far.
Posted by: joy at Sep 18, 2003 9:26:45 AM
disappointment comes and goes...but blogging just might last! (a while anyway)
i didn't make up that particular buzz word, after all.
http://www.karagraphy.com/archives/2003/09/19/world_magazine_on_blogging.php
Posted by: joy at Sep 19, 2003 8:15:41 AM
I sent a trackback ping back to your site, joy. Speaking of terms used, ping comes from the practice of submarines to send a sonar ping to acknowledge itself to another sub.
Posted by: Rich at Sep 19, 2003 8:21:08 AM
