What Do Our Words Say About Us?

Our culture is definitely driven by trends and fads. So much so that even words are trendy. Remember Gnarly? Syke? Da Bomb? Coolio? Wasssssssssup? Rad? Far Out?

I found a list of a few of the words that will be added to 2006 version of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary. Here are the ones I found most intriguing:

Technology and Computers
mouse potato: a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer
ringtone
spyware

Science and Medicine
avian influenza
gastric bypass

Pop Culture
soul patch: a small growth of beard under a man's lower lip
supersize

The Human Condition
drama queen: a person given to often excessively emotional performances or reactions
unibrow

Business and Industry
agritourism: the practice of touring agricultural areas to see farms and often to participate in farm activities

Miscellaneous
polyamory: the state or practice of having more than one open romantic relationship at a time
sandwich generation: a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children


Have any of these words found its way into your vocabulary? I had never heard of mouse potato, but I'm definitely going to start using that one! :) I was surprised some of these hadn't been added to the dictionary before the 2006 edition.

So, here's my answer to my question:

We don't get more active, we just transfer our laziness (i.e. from the couch to the "mouse"). We're getting fatter (i.e. supersize, gastric bypass). One of the most labor-intense jobs in history is now a vacation destination for us (i.e. agritourism). We aren't faithful (i.e. polyamory) and we don't raise our kids to be adults and stand on their own two feet (i.e. sandwich generation). And, apparently, despite our technological advances and social awareness, we allow our eyebrows to grow together. :)

- J -