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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 OPINION 
2

English Language Nears 1M Words

Foreign words help language reach milestone

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(Newser) – If your New Year’s resolution is never to use the words “change,” “bailout,” and “Phelpsian” again, you’ll get some help on or about April 29, when the English language will acquire its millionth word—or so says a Texas-based group that tracks such things. But, as Ruth Walker notes in the Christian Science Monitor, deciding what constitutes a word can be controversial.

Should plural forms, for example, count as separate words? And if English once lacked a word for a particular thing, "does that mean that perhaps the English-speaking peoples did not have the thing itself?" Walker wonders. "Short answer: yes." Meanwhile, if a million words seems excessive, consider that there are 1.35 billion English speakers. That's only one word for every 1,350 of us.

The English language will add its millionth word in April.
The English language will add its millionth word in April.   (Shutter Stock)
Global Language Monitor, an organization in Austin, Texas, which uses proprietary software to track and analyze trends in language, says English will get its millionth word in April.
Global Language Monitor, an organization in Austin, Texas, which uses proprietary software to track and analyze trends in language, says English will get its millionth word in April.   (Shutter Stock)
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NutsInNY
Jan 2, 09 7:31 PM CST
Real linguists know that this "millionth word" business is complete nonsense. Reply
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justathought
Jan 4, 09 5:48 AM CST
...and with all those words, people still can't say what they mean or attach so many double meanings and more to what they are saying--who knows what is really being said??! Reply
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