5 Ways Technology and Music Created Words
We often forget that all words are made up. This is primarily because some words are much older than others and many of us don’t buy dictionaries anymore. Many of us don’t know that a new word is added to the dictionary every year, which is voted on by a diverse group of academics (including: linguists, professors of literature, humanities professionals, etc.) We have websites like Urban Dictionary to define popular slang and text talk, and if that doesn’t work we can always ask a teen we know.
The majority of the words created over the past decade or so have been as a result of technology and music. One of the most popular words added to the dictionary from a song is Bootylicious, which Dictionary.com defines as: shapely and sexually attractive. Whoever wrote Destiny Child’s Bootylicious probably didn’t think it would be legitimized as a word in a standard English dictionary. There are many examples of music and technology creating words, and phrases, that we now commonly use in conversations. Below are just a few.
1) Google as a verb. If you don’t know something or you’re having a debate with friends the most common thing to say and do is: “just google it.” Google as the most used search engine makes the act of searching on google a verb and a phrase.
2) Tweet. Because of twitter we are all tweeting things and tweeting at people. Before twitter the only living things tweeting were birds, and they weren’t all blue either.
3) Waka waka. I don’t know about you, but I was definitely singing “Waka waka eh eh” at the top of my lungs during the summer of 2010. Shakira’s song This Time for Africa was the 2010 FIFA World Cup Official song. Although wikipedia says lyrics were borrowed from a song called: Zangalewa by Cameroonian group Golden Sounds, it is still unclear if the words “waka waka” have any meaning at all.
4) Instagram. Your food looks perfect and delicious, you went on a wonderful hike with a great view, you’re out partying with friends: “instagram it!” Similarly to Google, the app Instagram has made instagraming (taking a photo and posting it on the app) a verb. Along with Instagram also came the bonus word: Selfie, which is said to be made up by Kim Kardashian since she took so many pictures of her self with her phone.
5) Frontin’. We all know and love Pharrell and his musical talent so this last one is a shout out to one of my favorite songs by him, featuring Jay-Z. Although “front” has been a word in the English language for a while, the act of “frontin’” described by Pharrell in this song is a word that did not exist before this song debuted in 2003. According to Wikipedia Frontin’, as created by Pharrell, means: putting up a facade (or false ‘front’), typically to impress peers. “I was just frontin’… you know I want you, babe.”
Whether it’s a new app or a new song, words are created as culture is created. Technology and music are two of the most adaptable aspects of society and they reflect the continuous creativity and creation of culture. So before we say something is made up or wonder how “impactful” became a word used by many professionals, we should appreciate that we’re still able to create language that is aligned with the changing landscape of society.
