Besides being a repository of adolescent grossout humor, the Urban Dictionary is also a helpful resource for unearthing indexical meanings. The site is more accessible than traditional dictionaries and considerably cheaper. Here are some of the key reasons why you should subscribe. They are: (1) more accurate, (2) cheaper, and (3) a useful source for unearthing obscure indexical meanings. Hopefully this article has given you some food for thought!
Urban Dictionary is a repository of adolescent grossout humor
The Urban Dictionary is a great source of adolescent grossout. Aside from a variety of harmless terms, the dictionary also contains plenty of gross-out humor about sexual practices and terms that are often sexist and bigoted. Some users are titillated by the body parts of women, while others are nervous about sex between men.
It is cheaper than traditional dictionaries
The Urban Dictionary is significantly cheaper than traditional dictionaries. It records definitions of 1,620,438 words. Most words have one definition, while others have over 1,000. It’s a great way to keep up with trends and learn new words. As it’s more popular, the Dictionary is also becoming increasingly useful in the entertainment industry. In fact, executives from Fox often consult the dictionary to see if a Simpsons episode is okay to air. The editors of Family Guy also consult the dictionary to check whether a certain line of dialogue is acceptable. Another example is Boris Johnson’s use of the term “blapping,” which he presumably thought meant slapping. Thankfully, the Urban Dictionary has recognised the phrase.
Urban dictionaries are a great tool for learning slang. They’re more compact than traditional dictionaries and are considerably cheaper to use. And because the content is updated regularly, you’ll be able to get the latest information on unfamiliar words without spending a fortune. Plus, you’ll never need to buy another dictionary again. If you’re worried about wasting money on an expensive dictionary, you can opt for the Urban dictionary.
It is more accurate than traditional dictionaries
One argument for using the UD is its content, which is largely uncurated. Many headwords are not found in conventional dictionaries, and entries include nick names, informal spelling, and made-up words. One such example is the word “Emptybottleaphobia.”
The OED and the UD have different policies on content. The OED is a crowd-sourced dictionary, with anyone contributing to its content. Contributors include both registered and anonymous contributors. Both dictionaries have talk pages for the public to discuss and resolve contentious issues. Urban Dictionary entries follow its own set of guidelines for style, structure, and quality. Both have been called “imperfect” by dictionary users, and they are not able to match the quality of traditional dictionaries.
It is useful for unearthing indexical meanings
Indexicality is a common linguistic trope that indicates that the meaning of a word is not contained in the text itself but is a product of its context. Indexicality provides a unique window into the unconscious of the average writer, allowing researchers to probe deeper into their psyches by studying the language they use. Indexical meanings may be useful to researchers for a number of reasons, including unearthing social and indexical meanings.
It is heterogeneous compared to traditional dictionaries
The content of the Urban dictionary is highly heterogeneous compared to traditional vocabularies. It contains numerous headwords that are not in traditional dictionaries, such as nick names and proper names that are not used in formal dictionaries, informal spellings, and made-up words, like “Emptybottleaphobia.”
Final Words:
This high level of heterogeneity may make it difficult to process entries and remove opinions. The UD’s goal is to capture new words, which may be unfamiliar to the general public. In addition, the UD may contain definitions that are offensive or inappropriate, and the high content may require extensive processing and review to remove opinions that do not reflect mainstream language usage. For example, in a recent study, crowdworkers were asked to rate the “unfamiliarity” of words that appeared in the UD.
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