Google tells Sweden that “ungoogleable” is not a word

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:20:00 +0000

In 2002, "google" was so entrenched in our vernacular that it became the "most useful word," according to the American Dialect Society. In 2006, it was awarded entry into the Oxford English and the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionaries, elevating the neologism to a formally recognized word that became an eponym for Internet search.

It was only a matter of time, then, that someone would try to push "ungoogleable" as a word (though really, is there such a thing?). The Swedish Language Council tried to do just that when it created its annual list of "top 10 new words which have become popular in Sweden to show how society and language are changing," according to the BBC. The council defined "ungoogleable" ("ogooglebar" in Swedish) as anything that cannot be found by using a search engine.

But Google has historically taken issue with generalized uses of the term, citing trademark concerns and arguing that the term "google" should only describe instances in which the Google search engine is used.

Oxford American Dictionary names “GIF” word of the year

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 23:38:00 +0000

Internet culture gets its proper due in journalism today, as "GIF" has beat out "YOLO" as the Oxford American Dictionary's word of the year. “GIF celebrated a lexical milestone in 2012, gaining traction as a verb, not just a noun,” said Katherine Martin, head of the U.S. dictionaries program at Oxford. “The GIF has evolved from a medium for pop-cultural memes into a tool with serious applications including research and journalism, and its lexical identity is transforming to keep pace.”

Martin is probably referring to a new form of political coverage, storytelling and event highlights -- none of which would have been possible without animated GIFs.

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Google tells Sweden that “ungoogleable” is not a word

Oxford American Dictionary names “GIF” word of the year