OMG, Oxford dictionary adds new ‘words’

Within the Oxford English Dictionary, sandwiched between omertà, a Mafia code of silence, and omicron, the fifteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, now lies OMG, an acronym that should never be said or seen outside of a text or tweet.

OMG and its pals LOL and FYI have snuck their way into one of the most prominent English dictionaries in the world, according to a March 25 article on cnn.com, and it is not OK.

These are not words. They are shortcuts for lazy tweeters. A dictionary is meant to educate people about our language and teach them new words, not provide them with alternatives to actual words. If someone is in need of some slang, they can check out urbandictionary.com and leave the Oxford Dictionary for the more studious vocabulary.  

Apparently, not just any word can make it into the Oxford Dictionary, although they had me fooled. Any new word must be understood by a wide audience and must have been in usage for a considerable amount of time before it can find a home among the approximately 200,000 other words in the dictionary, according to Graeme Diamond, chief editor of new words for the Oxford Dictionary.

While many people may know what these acronyms mean, are they really used in verbal communication enough to deserve a place in the dictionary? I would hope that when you don't have the character limitations of texts or tweets, you could take the time to say, "That was so funny. I laughed really hard," instead of LOL. But maybe technology has brainwashed us — we are in such dire need of fast information that we can't even say real words. It certainly would not be acceptable for University President Troy Paino to say, "FYI, the University is facing a 7 percent budget cut," in his next speech. And any professor who uses OMG to discuss a recent medical breakthrough instantly will lose credibility in my book. So what makes these phrases suitable for everyday language?

I'll admit, FYI, LOL and OMG are common in the cyber communication world — although that doesn't mean they deserve a place in real-world communication — however, the Oxford Dictionary has chosen one more "word" to add to its repertoire — WAG. No, not as in the dog wags its tail, but as in "wives and girlfriends" of soccer players. WTF? Apparently, this expression gained popularity during the 2006 World Cup amongst England's soccer players. So because a bunch of professional soccer players started using an expression to talk about their significant others, it gains a place in the dictionary? Last time I checked, Graeme, WAG was not commonly understood or widely used.

Aside from the fact that these new additions to the dictionary are not actual words, the bigger problem with these acronyms is the long-term repercussions. Because a "word" is in the Oxford Dictionary, does that mean it is allowed in scholastic papers or news media? If so, our educational growth could seriously be limited. Why take the time to use a dictionary or thesaurus to expand your vocabulary and choose the perfect word to convey the level of shock in a novel when you can just say OMG and call it a day? By putting these expressions in the dictionary, it makes them acceptable for future generations to use. At least it will make spelling tests easier. When a teacher says "laugh out loud" all you would have to write is LOL and you've got yourself an A.  

While it is good that the Oxford Dictionary continues to update itself, they need to find other sources for new words. We are a technology-driven generation, and texts and tweets are prevalent and, in some regards, vital aspects of current communication. But, we have more to offer to the English discourse than a few acronyms expressing shock or humor.  

Molly Skyles is a junior communication major from St. Louis, Mo.