A ginormous step for language

Staci

It happened earlier this week: Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster announced it was adding nearly 100 new words  to its Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.

Two of these words—"DVR"  and "ginormous" —have been rolling off my tongue for some time now. For those who know me well, this may come as a bit of a surprise. I was an English major in college, and I've always been a bit of a stickler for proper word and grammar usage.

But things change, and as with anything, you can choose to be stubborn and defensive or willing to accept the inevitable. Our lexicon will continue to evolve, and—for the most part—I embrace it. After all, I'm not sure what I would do without my DVR to save all those MTV shows I'm too old to watch. And often, "gigantic" or "enormous" just doesn't do a description justice the way ginormous does.

One caveat, though: If you think I'm ever going to accept "irregardless" as a substitute for "regardless," don't hold your breath. Some things are sacred.