Are You Cooler than the Dictionary? Test your sense of slang

I actually do think published dictionaries are pretty cool. It’s pretty awesome how they manage to keep up with the ever-evolving English language, especially in this digital age.

The internet and related technologies have been a boon for creative language, not only because they’ve introduced a whole different way of communicating, but because it has an amazing power to invent and disseminate slang and new word uses widely, and fast .

In recent years, Merriam-Webster.com has been publishing lists of new words in each edition. If can be really surreal to see a trendy expression included in the dictionary, particularly those related to digital communication. It feels almost as if your favorite local band is suddenly appearing in a Coca-Cola ad. Sometimes it’s cool to see an expression take off. But other times, you spot a slang expression you’ve rarely , if ever,  heard and wonder if maybe the Merriam Webster’s editors weren’t hoodwinked by some suspicious Urban Dictionary entries.

With all this in mind, I now want to pose a question: Are you cooler than the dictionary? Test yourself below and find out.

I’ve made a list of “new words.” Some are new additions to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, some haven’t made it yet, and some are just completely made up. (They’ll catch on soon, right?) Can you tell the difference?

Can you dig it?

1. vlog, noun : a blog that contains video material
A) Dictionary approved
B) If you’ve ever uttered this word aloud, you are a loser. It’s not in the dictionary
C) This will never catch on

2. webisode, noun: an episode especially of a TV show that may or may not have been telecast but can be viewed at a Web site
A) Look under W and ye shall find it
B) Come on, do I look like I use AOL? It’s not in the dictionary
C) This will never catch on

3. woot, interjection: an exclamation of joy or excitement
A) Woot! It made it!
B) No way Webster’s is this cool
C) This is weird sounding. I don’t get it

4. mouse potato, noun: a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer
A) Look under M and ye shall find
B) One day this shall make the Big Book
C) Are you kidding me?

5. chillax, verb: combination of the verbs chill out and relax, hang out with friends
A) The new dictionary editors are stoners
B) One day this shall make the Big Book
C) This will never catch on

6. sock puppet, noun: a false online identity used for deceptive purposes
A) Look under S and ye shall find
B) No way Webster’s is this cool
C) I don’t get it

7. wurfing, verb: the act of surfing the Internet at work and rationalizing that it is for work purposes
A) The Dictionary gets it
B) If you’ve ever uttered this word aloud, you are a loser. It’s not in the dictionary
C) This will never catch on

8. cybrarian, noun: a person whose job is to find, collect, and manage information that is available on the World Wide Web
A) Look under C and ye shall find
B) Come on, do I look like I use AOL? It’s not in the dictionary
C) This will never catch on

9. phonecrastinate, verb: to put off answering the phone until caller ID displays the incoming name and number
A) Read it and weep
B) If you’ve ever uttered this word aloud, you are a loser. It’s not in the dictionary
C) Are you kidding me?

10. frenemy, noun: one who pretends to be a friend but is really an enemy
A) Look under F and ye shall find
B) I concede that Sex and the City was influential, but this isn’t in the dictionary
C) This will never catch on

11. staycation, noun: a vacation spent at home or nearby
A) Read it and weep
B) Fun word, but not in the Big Book
C) Are you kidding me?

12. prepone, verb: to arrange for an event to take place earlier than originally planned; the opposite of postpone
A) Look under P and ye shall find
B) One day this shall make the Big Book
C) This will never catch on

13. green-collar, adjective: of, relating to, or involving actions for protecting the natural environment
A) The dictionary editors are a bunch of stoners
B) Patience, grasshopper. It’s not in the dictionary
C) Lovely idea

14. locavore, noun: one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible
A) The dictionary editors are a bunch of hippies
B) If you non-ironically use this word to describe yourself, I will de-friend you. It’s not in the dictionary
C) Lovely idea

15. fan fiction, noun: stories involving popular fictional characters that are written by fans and often posted on the Internet — also called fan fic
A) About time! Look under F and ye shall find
B) You wish. It’s not in the dictionary
C) Why would people do that?

16. google, verb : to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web
A) The dictionary gets it
B) I think that would be trademark infringement or something. Not in the dictionary
C) What’s the World Wide Web?

17. soul patch, noun: a small growth of beard under a man’s lower lip
A) The dictionary editors are a bunch of stoners
B) Not in the dictionary yet, thank goodness
C) Sounds groovy

18. round, verb: to engage in video chat on the 6rounds website
A) Look under R and ye shall find
B) Patience, grasshopper
C) Sign me up?

How’d you do?

1. Vlog: A
2. Webisode: A
3. Woot: B, No way the dictionary is this cool
4. Mouse potato: A
5. Chillax: B, One day this shall make the Big Book
6. Sock puppet: A
7. Wurfing: C, This will never catch on
8. Cybrarian: A, incredibly
9. Phonecrastinate: C, Are you kidding me?
10. Frenemy: A
11. Staycation: A
12. Prepone: B, One day this will make the Big Book
13. Green-collar: A
14. Locavore: A
15. Fan fiction: A
16. Google: A
17. Soul patch: A
18. Round: Not yet!

What do you think? Did I miss any? Any surprises? Disagree with any of my characterizations? Which words do you think Webster’s should finally include?