I think the Oxford dictionaries work on "historical principles," which means that they record how the language is being used and include new words as soon as they are established. They aren't trying a top-down enforcement of Proper English.
-rjbull
I read
an article from Slate yesterday about the Oxford dictionaries - they've diversified :-) These words were added to the Online dictionary (and maybe the next "Shorter" Oxford Dictionary?), but not to the main "Oxford English Dictionary" (OED).
• The dictionary content in ODO [Oxford Dictionaries Online] focuses on current English and includes modern meanings and uses of words
• The OED, on the other hand, is a historical dictionary and it forms a record of all the core words and meanings in English over more than 1,000 years, from Old English to the present day, including many obsolete and historical terms. Words are never removed from the OED.
THe OED one has about 20 (or whatever) volumes. The OED 'style' is based on Johnson's English dictionary. (I know that from Henry Hitching's book about Dr. Johnson's Dictionary - which was a suprisingly entertaining read btw).
the slate article was relevant to this thread, but I didnt bother posting it at the time cause the tone was just too self-righteous
Reminded me of people who insist the system tray should actually be called something else...
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