Urban Slang finds its 'definition'
Tiffani McDaniel
Arts & Culture Editor
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Arts & Culture
- Page 1 of 1
Words such as "crunk" and "bling-bling" have found a new home inside of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
The terms both originated in the late 90's and early 2000, and both currently function as a nouns.
"I think that the terms 'bling-bling' and 'crunk' could be appropriate in the dictionary," said Alicia Holt, a junior English major from Nashville.
In recent years, hip-hop terminology has become the inspiration for an online web group, www.hiphopintelligence.com(HII). The site offers definitions for several words commonly associated with the hip-hop culture.
According to the Web site there sole priority is to focus on capturing, preserving, and socializing hip-hop culture across the web.
"Hip-hop terms give the world a new taste of what our generation is feeling," Holt said. "It gives a vibe of luxury and swagger."
The Web site doesn't only publish popularized terms through the media, but also words that are not as common. For example, baser, whichoriginated in Florida and functions as a noun, means fake person,trying to be someone they are not.
Along with the Hip-Hop dictionary on HHI, there is also links that will lead you to Hip-Hop Rule Book, Hip Hop Almanac, Hip-Hop Thesaurus, and Hip-Hop Faces.
"The use of slang words in the dictionary is inappropriate," said LeahBostic a junior biology major from Queens, N.Y., "(W)hen people refer to the dictionary they are looking for the proper way to talk."
Even the Oxford English Dictionary has published slang terms, such as bootylicious. Even before Destiny's Child made their hit single of the same name, Dr. Dre coined the term in 1992 on his album The Chronic.
According to Oxford, "bootylicious," which is an adjective, can be used to describe a woman, her backside, and her overall physical appearance.
"When we use slang words," said Bostic. "It makes it seem like it's okay to use them inside the work place."
The terms both originated in the late 90's and early 2000, and both currently function as a nouns.
"I think that the terms 'bling-bling' and 'crunk' could be appropriate in the dictionary," said Alicia Holt, a junior English major from Nashville.
In recent years, hip-hop terminology has become the inspiration for an online web group, www.hiphopintelligence.com(HII). The site offers definitions for several words commonly associated with the hip-hop culture.
According to the Web site there sole priority is to focus on capturing, preserving, and socializing hip-hop culture across the web.
"Hip-hop terms give the world a new taste of what our generation is feeling," Holt said. "It gives a vibe of luxury and swagger."
The Web site doesn't only publish popularized terms through the media, but also words that are not as common. For example, baser, whichoriginated in Florida and functions as a noun, means fake person,trying to be someone they are not.
Along with the Hip-Hop dictionary on HHI, there is also links that will lead you to Hip-Hop Rule Book, Hip Hop Almanac, Hip-Hop Thesaurus, and Hip-Hop Faces.
"The use of slang words in the dictionary is inappropriate," said LeahBostic a junior biology major from Queens, N.Y., "(W)hen people refer to the dictionary they are looking for the proper way to talk."
Even the Oxford English Dictionary has published slang terms, such as bootylicious. Even before Destiny's Child made their hit single of the same name, Dr. Dre coined the term in 1992 on his album The Chronic.
According to Oxford, "bootylicious," which is an adjective, can be used to describe a woman, her backside, and her overall physical appearance.
"When we use slang words," said Bostic. "It makes it seem like it's okay to use them inside the work place."
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