Top 10 Most Hated Web Words

TrafficProducer · #1 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 02:40 PM

Top 10 Most Hated Web Words

The Internet has spawned many great things but it’s also been responsible for a new kind of bastardised English, or Weblish. According to a new survey of 2,000 Brits, by YouGov on behalf of self-publishers Lulu, here are the Top 10 most irritating Web words/terms.
1. Folksonomy (a web classification system)
2. Blogosphere (the collective term for all blogs)
3. Blog (an online journal)
4. Netiquette (internet etiquette)
5. Blook (a book based on a blog)
6. Webinar (a web or online seminar)
7. Vlog (a video blog)
8. Social Networking (using the web to form virtual communities on sites like MySpace)
9. Cookie (a text file stored on your computer from a website you've visited)
10. Wiki (A collaborative website, editable by its readers)

Still, while they may be mildly annoying to certain people, it should be remembered that the lexicologists at the Collins English Dictionary, recently accepted ‘Godcast’, defined as “a religious service or sermon that has been converted to MP3 format for download from the internet for play on a computer or MP3 player.”
Suddenly ‘blog’ doesn’t seem all that offensive. –Martin Lynch

ref: Gizmodo UK : Top 10 Most Hated Web Words

**incrediblehelp** · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 03:21 PM

More than half of those cant be defined by the average Joe. So I wonder who hates them? Us?

**dharrison** · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 03:31 PM

I prefer all those words than i do when someone types "meh!" at me.

I hate that word (if you can call it that) so much it hurts.

**wige** · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 03:34 PM

Can we add "weblish" to the list?

rmonkeygirl · #5 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 05:27 PM

How have I never heard of "blook" before?? Wow, that's a terrible word. It's like some kind of verb from a Batman comic: Pow! Zing. Bap! BLOOK!

Nice list though I'm confused about cookie.

Chris · #6 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dharrison

I prefer all those words than i do when someone types "meh!" at me.

I hate that word (if you can call it that) so much it hurts.

meh

of course, you knew it was coming...

Pacific · #7 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 06:44 PM

I surprised, and disappointed, that

popup

is not included!!

DaveSawers · #8 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 07:14 PM

The whole point of coining new words to describe new things is because they're needed. As they enter general use, they become understood and accepted (or they fall by the wayside).

Whether anyone likes or hates the new words is irrelevant. If they're useful and more or less understood, they'll be used.

The alternative would be to have a body such as the acadamie francaise who try and generate phrases for new things from "proper" French. They are not surprisingly generally derided, even in France.

bj · #9 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 07:49 PM

Splog
Netizen
Meme
Web 2.0
Viral
NetRoots

One I'm on the fence about:
Podcast

Um, Deb, you really shouldn't have . . .

MEH!

Matteo · #10 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 08:39 PM

Okay color me ignorant....what is Meh?

I can't believe the king of all new verbs is not on that list it drives me crazy!

I guess I'll have to GOOGLE it

As to the New phraseology...every culture needs their "in words" words that only the people involved know or use. It creates a climate of belonging, every new generation has it's own set of glossial gems....this internet generation is no different.

**incrediblehelp** · #11 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matteo

Okay color me ignorant....what is Meh?

Indifference; to be used when one simply does not care.

**dharrison** · #12 (**permalink**) 07-04-2007, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bj

Um, Deb, you really shouldn't have . . .

MEH!

bj I expected better from you.

Homer ... sorry I mean Chris, how did I know you were going to do that?

m-- is about the only word I dislike. My favourite slang has to be "spam for breakfast" which is fitting as I go through all my emails in the mornings.

simmo · #13 (**permalink**) 07-04-2007, 06:04 AM

One measure of the sophistication of a language is the extent of its vocabulary. English got its rich and diverse vocabulary by being able to absorb and use words from just about every language under the sun and where none exists, a new one is often coined. That is why the current Oxford English Dictionary runs to 20 volumes.

Words like 'blog', 'automatic', 'blurb' and even 'zit' convey a meaning, which would otherwise require a phrase. If a new word appears, which can replace a phrase, then it has a valid use although I admit that the sound of some of the current web-based jargon does make me cringe.

With new words, the writer has a choice as to whether or not he or she uses them. What for me is the real shame, however, is when existing words are re-used in such a way that their original meaning is unavailable. If I happened to exclaim that I am feeling a little gay or queer.... you see what I mean. We could have a whole forum discussing if 'spam' has been so corrupted.

The advance of technology will inevitably result in the addition of new words. It is a matter of opinion as to whether or not the current list of new web words is an example of the advancement of English.

bj · #14 (**permalink**) 07-04-2007, 09:18 AM

Quote:

We could have a whole forum discussing if 'spam' has been so corrupted.

Obviously said by someone who never tasted the original . . .

**dharrison** · #15 (**permalink**) 07-04-2007, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bj

Obviously said by someone who never tasted the original . . .

Oh don't! Who else had "Spam fritters" for school dinners. (Oh God I feel queer now)

zbatia · #16 (**permalink**) 07-04-2007, 03:11 PM

Just a quick addition. When I read the word "podcasting", no matter what is about I just delete it. What a stupid slang!

**mike** · #17 (**permalink**) 07-05-2007, 02:49 AM

How bout "Top 10"

MarkGatESS · #18 (**permalink**) 07-05-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zbatia

Just a quick addition. When I read the word "podcasting", no matter what is about I just delete it. What a stupid slang!

I think "podcasting" was derived from downloadable/broadcasted news media content for Apple iPods. So, it's "iPod Broadcasting" or "podcasting"!

As far as the other terms are concerned, you'll have to point to marketing guys and journalists (blogs/blogosphere, nettiquet, etc.), and those that do the programming & create the applications we use on the Net (Cookies, Java, etc.)

Other than that, I concur with simmo, Matteo and DaveSawers for the most part about how these words come about. It's inevitable that as new concepts and new creations are made and become mainstream, there will be descriptive "made-up" words to describe it.

For the most part, a lot of these new words/terms are fairly descriptive as to what they are labeling. Everything except cookies - where'd the net programmers come up with that?!

bj · #19 (**permalink**) 07-05-2007, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Who else had "Spam fritters" for school dinners.

And you survived the experience?

simmo · #20 (**permalink**) 07-05-2007, 12:44 PM

Here's another thing to consider: Here in the UK, we 'hoover' the carpet when we want to clean it. Now I don't own a Hoover vacuum cleaner, I own a Dyson but I always hoover, never dyson, the carpet.

Yahoo can an ad. campaign a few years ago asking "Do you Yahoo?" It never stuck. Now we Google for information. Question is; do people Google for information on Yahoo?