Glowka: GC&SU’s very own wordsmith

Modern English continues to progress and provide understanding to the developing society. Dr. Wayne Glowka, an English professor at GC&SU, determines which words are valid additions to the lexis of English speakers.

Glowka is the chair of the New Words Committee of the American Dialect Society, which has influenced and studied the English language since 1889. On Jan. 6, the committee’s annual meeting was held in Albuquerque, N.M. They determined that the word of the year would be “truthiness,” popularized by Comedy Central’s Colbert Report.

“Stephen Colbert is not as innovative as one may think,” said Glowka.

“‘Truthiness’ has been a word since 1824 in the Oxford English Dictionary, but he added a new twist to the word.”

The American Dialect Society validates new words and phrases, while also popularizing new definitions. On the Web site Wikipedia.org, Anatoly Liberman, an etymology professor at the University of Minnesota, said ‘truthiness’ has a coined definition of using heart rather than fact was predicted to be added to dictionaries within the next two years.

Glowka receives mail from people around the country submitting new words. As the boxes of mail full of news clippings pile up in Glowka’s office, people have to understand that every word submitted cannot be entered into an English dictionary. Determining which words can withstand the test of time is his most difficult task, Glowka said

“Internet dictionary databases make the introduction of new words much more liberal,” said Glowka. “I report words that seem important, but written dictionaries can only print so many words. When a new word is added to a dictionary, another word has to be taken out, but internet dictionaries do not have a limit.”

New words can come from a multitude of different media sources. In addition to rummaging through the numerous news clippings of submitted words, Glowka discovers words of his own. His nominations for the 2005 Word of the Year award included ‘bumper nuts,’ ‘flee-ancee,’ ‘Katrina,’ ‘exopolitics,’ and many more which are all defined at the Web site www.americandialect.org.

“My favorite words fall under the hormone malfunction and lyric malfunction,” said Glowka. “I enjoy the funny, odd and weird.”

Most of the words that Glowka submits come from newspapers, Rush Limbaugh’s radio show and television.

“Fox News uses a joking format that uses wonderful informality,” said Glowka. “Many of the new words are entertaining, but useful.”

Ryan Moskal, a sophomore history major, said he enjoys using words that he hears from movies, music and popular television programs.

“Pop-culture has brought about a lot of words that are used in common speech like ‘dunzo’ or ‘amped’,” Moskal said. “Saturday Night Live and Laguna Beach are a few of my main sources of media that introduce me to new vocabulary, which I like to expand upon whenever I am able to.”

Young people should become involved with the research and usage of new language, said Dr. Megan Melancon, an assistant professor of English.

“The students’ participation in the documentation of new words opens their eyes to the fact that words have alternate uses,” Melancon said. “The new understanding of words teaches students to communicate using non-standard language and helps them with computer skills, strengthening their knowledge on how to research.”

Melancon said the adaptation of new words into society is an important function. She began discovering new words and submitting them to Glowka because of her interest as a linguist and the prestige of the American Dialect Society.

“The documentation of the invention of new words is important to society’s progression,” said Melancon. “Glowka’s work in the American Dialect Society legitimizes the new words that are introduced.”

New technology, politics and culture continue to change with time.

“New ideas and things occur that need to be named,” Glowka said. “Some words are for joking entertainment, but the words that uphold are legitimate.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 24 2006. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry