Pop culture terms explained on Web site
Chris Thomas
Issue date: 5/28/04 Section: Entertainment
When in doubt about pop culture terminology, there's no longer a need to look foolish in front of your friends, thanks to
http://www.urbandictionary.com.
If you've lived under a rock or recently returned from a seven-year monastery tour of Tibet, this is the site for you to update your vernacular. On this site, words used by the American masses are defined by the people themselves, not a stiff grammarian with a slang fetish. Even if you know the definitions of classics like "mothertrucker" or "fa sho," this site can keep you up-to-date on any word not usually in Merriam-Webster's latest edition.
While some may perceive UrbanDictionary.com to be a contributor to the erosion of the English language, the site still serves as a point of reference that could save one from being perennially clowned by their peers. If you were a hermit in a seashell when Kelis released her hit single "Milkshake," the concept of what her "milkshake" actually is can be easily found.
The site is simple in definition: it lets you search for or add any word you think is popular, and then lets others join in on the defining fun and etymological wonder. While the site purely serves as a reference point of the American vernacular, methods of preservation like this can contribute to the society as a whole, especially when it comes to diversifying the average American's working knowledge of slang or even bringing words back from a former era.
The main problem that could confuse a Web site viewer is a possible contradiction of definitions. Not everyone agrees all the time with everyone's opinion of a word's meaning, and some definitions could be found to be vague or misleading. If you're searching for a word you can use to impress friends, but find the wrong definition, the level of potential ridicule exponentially expands, only harming your already fragile self-esteem yourself further. Your best bet is to find a kind friend who won't embarrass you to aid you during your Web travels.
The smartest move of all, however, is to attempt to gain a social life and learn these words the old-fashioned way. Here's a brilliant idea: Stay off AOL Instant Messenger and Counter-Strike for 18 hours everyday, and attempt to go outside and meet people face-to-face ... your pale skin and sniper jargon is starting to scare your roommate.
http://www.urbandictionary.com.
If you've lived under a rock or recently returned from a seven-year monastery tour of Tibet, this is the site for you to update your vernacular. On this site, words used by the American masses are defined by the people themselves, not a stiff grammarian with a slang fetish. Even if you know the definitions of classics like "mothertrucker" or "fa sho," this site can keep you up-to-date on any word not usually in Merriam-Webster's latest edition.
While some may perceive UrbanDictionary.com to be a contributor to the erosion of the English language, the site still serves as a point of reference that could save one from being perennially clowned by their peers. If you were a hermit in a seashell when Kelis released her hit single "Milkshake," the concept of what her "milkshake" actually is can be easily found.
The site is simple in definition: it lets you search for or add any word you think is popular, and then lets others join in on the defining fun and etymological wonder. While the site purely serves as a reference point of the American vernacular, methods of preservation like this can contribute to the society as a whole, especially when it comes to diversifying the average American's working knowledge of slang or even bringing words back from a former era.
The main problem that could confuse a Web site viewer is a possible contradiction of definitions. Not everyone agrees all the time with everyone's opinion of a word's meaning, and some definitions could be found to be vague or misleading. If you're searching for a word you can use to impress friends, but find the wrong definition, the level of potential ridicule exponentially expands, only harming your already fragile self-esteem yourself further. Your best bet is to find a kind friend who won't embarrass you to aid you during your Web travels.
The smartest move of all, however, is to attempt to gain a social life and learn these words the old-fashioned way. Here's a brilliant idea: Stay off AOL Instant Messenger and Counter-Strike for 18 hours everyday, and attempt to go outside and meet people face-to-face ... your pale skin and sniper jargon is starting to scare your roommate.
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