Twinkie Essay

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From looking at words created in the 1980s, I have concluded that the population was looking for creativity and new ways to convey their feelings. The language reflects issues of negativity and misunderstanding happening at that time. One example is the word “twinkie.” Used to describe a male homosexual, an effeminate man, or a child regarded as an object of homosexual desire, this word became popular during a time when homosexuals were shunned and no one really understood AIDS. This term, as well as similar ones, such as usageaster and nimby, was used to describe something dangerous or bad because the general population was ill-informed.the newest synonym for goofy is nerkish.
Its first attested use was in Dick Clement and Ian la Frenais’ …show more content…

On the key to pronunciation page it states, “While avoiding strongly regionally or socially marked forms, they are intended to include the most common variants for each word. The keywords given are to be understood as pronounced in such speech.” The Merriam-Webster entries usually list both the “proper” pronunciations first and then lists ones that maybe are disfavored or mispronounced by a majority. One example is the word “candidate,” transcribed both as \ˈkan-də-ˌdāt,\ and \ka-nə-, -dət\.

Oxford English Dictionary explicitly states the etymology before the definition of each entry. With the American Heritage Dictionary, the etymology appears in square brackets following the definitions. The Merriam-Webster states that the matter in boldface square brackets preceding the definition is the etymology. Meanings given in roman type within these brackets are not definitions of the entry, but are meanings of the Middle English, Old English, or non-English words within the …show more content…

The AHD defines it as, “a person considered to be sexually promiscuous,” but also labels it as “often offensive.” The MWD’s first definition is “a slovenly woman,” but also states, “a promiscuous woman, especially: prostitute.” The OED has several different definitions. The first, “a woman of dirty, slovenly, or untidy habits or appearance.” The second is, “a woman of a low or loose character; a bold or impudent girl; a hussy, jade.”

Personally, I feel that the AHD’s entry is the most relevant out of the three because it lists the most commonly used definition first and lists that this word might offend others when used.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, entries containing more than one sense are arranged for the convenience of the reader with the central and often the most commonly sought meaning first. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states, “the order of sense within an entry is historical: the sense known to have been first used in English is entered first. “ In the OED, “senses are ordered systematically on the basis of the evidence now available. Also, it avoids a tendency to impose formulaic orderings on proposed semantic hierarchies.”

A. AHD lists “impact” first as a noun and then as a

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