Have you ever noticed in TV commercials, if there are black and white male actors involved in the script, it is invariably the white guy who asks the unintelligent question, or acts like a dolt. Conversely, it is the black boss, physician, or sport celeb who has his act (pun) together. He imparts the sound advice to the less informed, self-doubting, or klutzy white counterpart.
The Michael Jordans in TV ads are always the superior decision makers than the bumbling and fumbling Charlie Sheens.
When I typed the title word for this post on the Blogger application, the spelling checker immediately flagged me. I did not correct it, or add it to my on-line dictionary. Accordingly, this word "unfriend" was named as the New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD) word of the year in 2009. An associated word also registered acceptance in the dictionary was "defriend".
These words have lex-appeal in this intensely charged techno-social networking age. It is now understood, though grammatically incorrect, for someone to say, "I have unfriended President Obama" from the Facebook. You say President Obama only does Twitter? No problem. You could just "tweetup" the prez in you Blackberry or iPhone. If you don't agree with his health care plan or tax and spend socialist policies, you can't "untweep" or "unfollow" him just yet in Twitter. These words, you see, are not sanctioned by NOAD. I should think they will be by the end of the year. (Surely, you may say these words or make up you own. I am just being sarcastic.)
For the New Oxford American Dictonary to bestow its blessings on the life-style words, as though it owns them, is a shrew business ploy. Notwithstanding the detractors and supporter of this tactic, Oxford University is latching on to its brand name recognition and holding an edge over the competitors. It is much like what Forbes does each year by scoring America's Most Livable Cities. What sells matters.
Thus the butchering of the English tongue continues in the twenty-first century.
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