when does a word become a word?

[Blind Hodd]

i got into a debate on this subject and have stand by my definition as being when a term is formallized via a credited source it is a word, where as the person i was debating against said it was a word when anyone accepted it no matter how few.

so, when is a word a word?  

[MyMyMyGirl]

When idiots aren't the people creating them. eek Like "stupider" that doesn't even LOOK RIGHT.

I say, read classic books and you'll know if a word is a word. And no, people cannot make up a word and then have it official. gonk Unless, of course you're literally the people in charge of Distionaries and whatnot. Then, yea, that's when it's made an actually word.

But, honestly, I didn't understand the question. rofl  

[Blind Hodd]

ummmmmm....... what? talk sense, woman!  

[Melantha007]

In my personal and humble opinion, a word is truly a word when the dictionary publishes a complete definition of it. Until then, it is just jargon or idiom. (ie: specialized wordage, not common usage.)  

[SilverBellsAbove]

A word is a word when it makes sense to be use. Words are invented to say something effectively. If there is a new concept you can't get across without a new word to go with it, it's time for a new word.

Otherwise?

It's an idiom, dialect, etc...  

[Firesong27]

A word becomes a word by being used by several people and eventually becoming published. Not necessarily in a dictionary though that is the best way to have proof that it is a word, but many words become 'official' by being published in several different works of literature. Waiting for a word to appear in a dictionary is alot like waiting for news to come by the pony-express these days. It takes a long time because they don't publish words in dictionaries that aren't first used by lots of people.  

[Veriduin]

I agree with SilverBellsAbove. Things like "bling", "ginormous", "grrrrrl" or "earjacking", which are all highly used and even published, are all words that (in my own humble opinion) shouldn't exist. There are plenty of ways to say "eves dropping" without making up a new one. However, when there is a new concept, such as "unfriending" someone, there needs to be a new word to match.

California Babe, just because a made-up word can sound intelligent doesn't make it decent to use.
For example:
Verbular - [vurb-yuh-ler] - Pertaining to words, esp. those less widely used. (L. verb meaning word and l. -ulus, stuff)

This is NOT a dictionary word. In fact, to my knowledge, this word has only been used once by myself. I do NOT accept this as a "new word", nor do I encourage others to use it.

Sorry. I'll go back to lurking now...  

[Smoozle]

fubar0

i got into a debate on this subject and have stand by my definition as being when a term is formallized via a credited source it is a word, where as the person i was debating against said it was a word when anyone accepted it no matter how few.

so, when is a word a word?

fubar0

ummmmmm....... what? talk sense, woman!

I thought you had to be literate to join this Guild. I don't see a single capital letter anywhere in either of your posts.

Please learn something about Grammar before you try to lecture anyone here, or tell them that they aren't making sense.