The Generic Support Group Thread

Actually, my heart's desire is the Oxford English Dictionary - a truly monumental tribute to the English language. The print copy is something like like 22 volumes, almost a volume per letter of the alphabet. The cost of subscribing to it on the Internet is far beyond my pocket, but not my fantasies.

[staceyv]

OMG, it's $295 a year for a stupid dictionary. WTF???

Originally Posted by staceyv

OMG, it's $295 a year for a stupid dictionary. WTF???

No comment.

[busterb]

Do it got ya'll listed? For that money I want the whole redneck works!

Busterb, you can contact the OED, and suggest that it be included if its not already. I don't have time to run down to my public library to check, but I wouldn't be surprised if the term were included. You can also get a month's on-line subscription to it for a mere $29.95 which I just might give myself as a Christmas present. Its the only dictionary I have ever sat down and actually read! Its very, very cool and the term "dictionary" hardly begins to describe it!

[wolf]

Originally Posted by staceyv

OMG, it's $295 a year for a stupid dictionary. WTF???

It's a very large, stupid dictionary.

The average Native English Speaker* uses about 5K words on a regular basis.

I respect the OED. It is the motherlode of wordage. It can be considered overkill, however.

I'm reminded of the very thick book described by Mrs. Premise (or perhaps Mrs. Conclusion) about how to put your budgie down called "How to Put Your Budgie Down." The OED would serve admirably as the book with which to hit your budgerigar.





* According to the first website I found via Google that actually answered that question. This number may be suspect because they are trying to sell a tool that will increase your number of words in regular usage.

The knowledge trove that is Wikipedia says that most native English speakers have a vocabulary of about 30K words. The disparity in numbers leads me to presume that the folks on the high end had grandparents with subscriptions to The Reader's Digest.

Originally Posted by wolf

I'm reminded of the very thick book described by Mrs. Premise (or perhaps Mrs. Conclusion) about how to put your budgie down called "How to Put Your Budgie Down." The OED would serve admirably as the book with which to hit your budgerigar.




.

Damn! It would take you 20 volumes to squash the thing? Why not just shoot it? Remind me to never be left alone in a room with THAT bird!