Wednesday, June 10, 2009

"Web 2.0" is millionth word, or is it?

No really. The Global Language Monitor, based on the formula of a neologism being created every 98 minutes, has declared "web 2.0" to be the millionth word in the English language. One million words is more than double the total of Mandarin Chinese, the world's runner up.

But this gimmickry has already been exposed by Professor David Crystal of Bangor University, who claims the English language passed the million marks some time ago:

"It is total nonsense. English reached 1 million words years ago. It's
like someone standing by the side of the road counting cars, and when
they get to 1 million pronouncing that to be the millionth car in the
world. It's extraordinary."

More about this budding controversy can be found here.



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