OMG and LOL added to Oxford English Dictionary

by Steven Mostyn - Mar 25 2011, 13:14

The already bulging Oxford English Dictionary (OED) got a little thicker this week following news that some 45,000 new words and definitions have been added to the mighty tome’s online edition.

While the somewhat unusual inclusion of the heart symbol is unlikely to inspire much interest in our specific readership, the latest influx of OED content does see the admission of several gems from the social networking scene.

For example, text-loving acronym fans will be nothing short of thrilled to see the likes of LOL (Laugh Out Loud) the next time they’re flicking through the dictionary.

Similarly thumb-friendly initialisms such as OMG (Oh My God) and FYI (For Your Information) have also been deemed worthy by the boffins at Oxford University Press.

Interestingly, Graeme Diamond, principle editor of the OED’s new words groups, told The Telegraph that both OMG and LOL have been used in the English language during the early twentieth century.

At that time, OMG was apparently used in the same context (Oh My God) but via written correspondence, while LOL was used in reference to Little Old Ladies. 

Not just limited to teenage text speak, modern tech terms Dotbomb and Ego-surfing made the cut, with the former described as slang for a defunct Internet business while the latter is the process of searching for one’s self online.

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