Althouse: Not "hashtag," "funemployed," "birther," "death panel," teabagger," and "tramp stamp," but "unfriend."

November 17, 2009

Not "hashtag," "funemployed," "birther," "death panel," teabagger," and "tramp stamp," but "unfriend."

The new word of the year.

16 comments:

Triangle Man said...: I think I have more often seen "defriend", but Google sides with "unfriend".; 11/17/09, 9:24 AM
Michael Haz said...: I was rooting for "assclown".; 11/17/09, 9:24 AM
MadisonMan said...: A better choice than hypermiling, locavore or carbon neutral, the winners from the 3 previous years.; 11/17/09, 9:28 AM
Bissage said...: Nothing, but nothing, will ever stop me from saying "disenfriendicate."

wv = enope. Q: Will you ever use the word "unfriend?" A: Enope.; 11/17/09, 9:40 AM
chickelit said...: "unfollow" is the Twitter version of "unfriend."

They're making a statement there about the relative coolness of social media I suppose.

Ungainly as it is, they should have considered "deblogroll" as well.; 11/17/09, 9:54 AM
Phil 314 said...: Same etymology as "deplane"?; 11/17/09, 10:39 AM
jayne_cobb said...: I'm pretty sure I'm going to smack anyone I ever hear use "funemployed" in a serious manner.; 11/17/09, 10:48 AM
Unknown said...: Makes as much sense as some of the WV stuff, to wit:

WV "tabler" One who sets up for canasta

Actually, this really is a word, probably.; 11/17/09, 10:49 AM
ricpic said...: Unfriend: isn't that what all friends turn into...eventually?; 11/17/09, 11:37 AM
Meade said...: I'm glad I read that article you linked to or I might have used the term "obamalicious" all wrong.

According to the Urban Dictionary, it does not mean a cult of personality figure doing deliberate harm.; 11/17/09, 12:10 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "I'm pretty sure I'm going to smack anyone I ever hear use "funemployed" in a serious manner."

I've been witness to this.

It was awful, I didn't know the word existed until I heard it in action when I found myself in a conversation w/ two previously unemployed folks who were friends of friends [put more explicitly; these folks weren't my friends]. By time I realized the meaning of what had been said (a second or two) the conversation had moved on, so my only reaction was a blank stare. But, next time (if there is one) I'll be prepared to unleash the appropriate beat down...or at lest a facial expression expressing serious disappointment.; 11/17/09, 1:34 PM
Dark Eden said...: A better choice than hypermiling, locavore or carbon neutral, the winners from the 3 previous years.
>>>

What the heck is locavore?

Is there a committee to remove fad words that nobody uses two months after they're not hip and trendy anymore?; 11/17/09, 1:45 PM
Dark Eden said...: Eat Locally!

Welcome to Locavores:

We are a group of concerned culinary adventurers who are making an effort to eat only foods grown or harvested within a 100 mile radius of San Francisco for an entire month.
>>>

Wow, who would have guessed a group like this would come out of San Francisco!

Locavore, synonym, Luddite.; 11/17/09, 1:47 PM
Anonymous said...: Welcome to Locavores:

We are a group of concerned culinary adventurers who are making an effort to eat only crazy Hispanic females.; 11/17/09, 2:42 PM
MadisonMan said...: Paul, exactly. Whoever coined that term knew no spanish.; 11/17/09, 3:08 PM
Andrea said...: "Unfriend" is not a new word. It's an old English word meaning, obviously, someone who is not a friend.; 11/17/09, 5:40 PM