First things first: Happy National Punctuation Day! When I first spoke with Punctuation Man (nee Jeff Rubin) in 2007, National Punctuation Day was just three years old. As we approach this seminal holiday’s two-decade mark, I decided to resurface my initial conversation with the founder of National Punctuation Day; it’s archived here.
We were both so young and brash.
The other big news this week:
Jawn has been added to Dictionary.com.
And I couldn’t care less. Neither should you.
Earlier this month the online dictionary announced it was adding the classic Phillyism and all-purpose noun to its virtual pages: “something or someone for which the speaker does not know or does not need a specific name.” Many viewed this as victory or validation … or at least with excitement for Philadelphia getting widespread press for something not overtly negative.
But everyone should calm down for one clear reason: Dictionary.com isn’t a real dictionary.
Going to Dictionary.com for definitions is like going to Olive Garden for an authentic Italian experience. You’ll find something that approximates the real deal, but the natives are probably laughing at you.
And you might feel a little ill afterward.
Read the full column at Inquirer.com.