Proof that the world of words is changing faster than ever and that technology, especially social media, has powered much of this change: after only 6 years, the Oxford English Dictionary has granted ‘tweet’ an expanded definition. Read more at How “Tweet” Got in the OED
Why is this such a big deal? OED’s policy is to wait 10 years before adding a new word/or new definition because it believes it takes that long for the new word/meaning to be truly entrenched in the English language. But with technology and cyberspace growing at superman speed, many of these words take so off quickly that they are put on the fast track for inclusion. And with words like ‘tweet’ and ‘goggle,’ even OED has to yield sometimes.
When you think about it, it’s the same technology that’s fueling this lexicon revolution that helps dictionaries keep the pace. Otherwise, these words could be waiting a full 10 years for their ultimate vindication.
So the final question is…if an organization as old and as conservative as OED can embrace such change, how come many associations are still stuck playing the same old game?
Above definition from OxfordDictionaries.com.