Words of the Year and the Century

[AAllan at AOL.COM]

<< The AdS words of the year are positively boring and obsolete. Perhaps ABC
et
al are listing words from the book because they are so much more
interesting. <<

The authors of the book had the benefit of hindsight, being able to choose
words that made a lasting impression rather than those of immediate moment.
Of necessity, the ADS choice of words of the past year has only the immediate
moment to go by. It's still a useful exercise, I think, because as we gain
perspective we're likely to forget what the immediate moment was like. The
record of ADS Words of the Year, now already a decade long, will preserve our
"expert" sense of that moment.

>>Sounds like the ADS needs to pay more attention to what people
are saying, not what they are reading in obscure publications. >>

The ADS is us, and anyone we can enlist to help. All year long you can send
nominations and suggestions to our New Words chair, Wayne Glowka, at
wglowka at mail.gcsu.edu
or just post them to ADS-L and we'll all take notice.

- Allan Metcalf