语言学第2篇
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We’ve probably all wondered how a new word gets into the dictionary.9 f3 k/ U7 E5 ?, |! y8 X7 `
Pick<take> the word “doofus”, for example. Spelled d-o-o-f-u-s. meaning a stupid or a incopton<incompetent> person.8 K; B! q# Y- y7 w' x
This word ,which has been around since the late 1960’s and that<in a slang sense>,made it into the American<Merriam-webster’s collegiate> dictionary only in 1993.6 y) Q$ m# U, K& t# i T; t
Why did it take so long? Well first of all,dictionary editors like to wait it<at> least 3 years to be sure a word is going to last. especially a s slang word. They don’t want to put in a new word prematurely and& B$ X8 A0 ^, ]& E
They have to take it out in the next edition* z+ R+ T0 u* ^- e
But even for words arenot slang, getting into the dictionary is not easy.5 G8 q7 f5 e) S
New words have to pass a lot of editorial texts.' R0 M$ l/ F+ E& v2 k. i
Including how difficult or easy they are tolook are<up>.
# s# R/ S' @) Z6 e T( DThere is also a limit to how thick a dictionary can be or how small which<its> type can get for<before> people feel they don’t want
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! p& s/ l" ]2 N' Z( C9 T: E qSome words have to come out before others can go in
+ `9 k" ~ w; c9 Q5 E) YThe collegiate dictionary adds about 10000 words to every edition, but they<it> takes out only a few hundred, so choices have to be made very carefully.
