Recency illusion: today's example

[Jesse Sheidlower]

I don't know how old something can be before we start considering it an
example of the Recency Illusion, but I noticed that in the Lingua Franca
blog at the CHE (contributors to which include Geoff Pullum and Allan
Metcalf), Lucy Ferriss writes about the "neologism" _relatable_ 'that
can be related to'. She mentions its newness ("I first noticed it about
three years ago"; "this neologism"; etc.), and in general doesn't like
it.

It is, however, in OED, first attested in 1965 (I haven't tried to
antedate it further). Is 46 years still new enough that its recency is
not illusory? I'm not sure. I do think, though, that she could have
checked OED or asked a linguist before blogging about some new word she
happens to dislike.

http://chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2011/08/26/im-relatable-youre-relatable/

Jesse Sheidlower
OED

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