[Ads-l] Fictional Materials for OED (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill CIV (US)]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Fred's prediction has come true -- "unobtanium" is now listed in the OED.


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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Fictional Materials for OED
>
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> I have previously suggested that OED should have entries for "kryptonite"
> (Superman), the spice "melange" (Dune) and "ice-nine" (Cat's Cradle).  No
> one seemed particularly to agree with me, as I remember.
>
> I am inspired to return to this topic by noticing that Wikipedia has an
> article, "List of Fictional Elements, Materials, Isotopes and Atomic
> Particles."  This list supplies me with some additional candidates:
>
> adamantium (Wolverine)
> carbonite (The Empire Strikes Back)
> dilithium (Star Trek)
>
> After its use in the film Avatar, "unobtanium" may also merit OED
> inclusion.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
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Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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