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Which words are what?
How many words are there in the English language? I’ve often been asked but it’s a tough question to answer. For a start, what do you define as a word? There’s the word word, but there are also words, wordy, wordier, wordiest, wordless, wordlessly – do you count them all?
Then there are obsolete words, slang and jargon, plus many new words, including computer-based technology. Foreign words are constantly being scooped up and adapted to English.
Luckily, somebody has made these decisions. There’s a linguistic consultancy, based in San Diego, called the GLM (Global Language Monitor) that is counting words in English use. It started off with a base vocabulary taken from the major dictionaries that contain the historic core of the language.
Then it created a formula that measures the languages found in print, electronic media, radio and television.
By using this it can tell how fast new words are being created and can also follow the rate that foreign words are being absorbed into English.
They estimate that the English language has now exceeded a million words.
The language used by the most people in the world is Mandarin Chinese, spoken by over a billion. But English, which is spoken by roughly 500 million, is the most widely spread language, which is why English is often the lingua franca used in business, academic conferences, air-traffic control etc.
Spanish apparently has 225,000 words in contemporary use, and the largest German dictionary contains about 200,000 words (although they tend to be much longer than ours). Russian has just reached 125,000 and French has only 100,000.
However, we don’t use that many words every day - the average vocabulary of an educated English-speaking person is between 24,000 and 30,000.
And most of them can be found in our crosswords.
Happy puzzling!
Christine
Which words are what?
you had a word LUDO what does that mean people say its a game but the game is called juno because i have that game
When you say that the average English-speaking person has a vocabulary of 24,000 to 30,000 words, this refers to the number of words which they understand when they read or hear them. However, in speech, most of us (myself included) use a very small vocabulary - something in order of only 2,000 to 4,000 words, including the special jargon of our jobs and hobbies.
Every dictionary I have (from about 1910's to about 1990's) has a different set of words. They have the basic words, but the others vary. It is very frustrating when playing word games, and one is challenged. My friend and I play Scrabble two days a week, and use at least 4 dictionaries, as none of them have the same list of the less common words.
Jasam, Ludo is a board game, not very dissimilar to checkers. I have it at home, and it would have been bought in the early 1950's.
You must have a different game of Ludo to mine Liesl as mine is more like the game also known as "Sorry". You start from a base and travel around the board to a home. Nothing like checkers really. As to words, I certainly agree that reading and crosswords have greatly increased my vocabulary of familiar, if not frequently spoken, words.
Scrabble uses the chambers dictionary. They brought a book years age which listed (without definitions) all their words numerically, which was used extensively for both scrabble and crosswords. Where words are concerned Samuel Johnson's dictionary of the english language (both volumes - www.archive.org -) is a fascinating read.
I find the phrase "English is a lingua franca" fascinating, since "lingua rranca" is Latin for "French language".
I overheard a schoolgirl tell her friend: "He's cool, because he is hot!"
DJ1, it was thought that the phrase "lingua franca" was originally Italian. The noun lingua (nom; voc; abl cases - f) means lesser tongue. Whereas franca refers to frank (the germanic tribe), not to france. Could you explicate how you determined that lingua franca specifically means "french language".
Yow1e, you are a nit picker, aren't you? Yes, I too have the Aspal (the word list of the Australian Scrabble Players Association). But I got it in about 1989/90. I am certain other words have been added since. As you should know, English is a constantly moving language. Words added, words subtracted or altered. That is why we use more than one dictionary. By the way, the American spelling has been included since Scrabble's inception, as so many Americans play it also.
Liesl I addressed dj1 for a response [to his first statement], or is he either cussiliris or pavefio in making one. The hereinbefore was my causam dicere for your remark.
You don't happen to be a lawyer, do you yow1e? You are just putting legal latin terms into the speech. Or I assume they are legal terms. From my school latin I sort of think I understood. I guess it is safer to be somewhat nasty in Latin? HMM?
Liesl, for your information, my major was constitutions and codes. Furthermore there were no latinised legalism's in my last remark, if you comprehended my last remark, as you propound, then that would have been self evident. As to constructed insults "intellection before emotion". In closing Liesl, let me say, I love a game of intellectual chess.
Oh my, such big words yow1e. You must be a very clever fellow.
However, I feel obliged to point out that an apostrophe is not required when one is pluralising a word ... as you did. The plural of "legalism" is "legalisms", not "legalism's", as you so erroneously stated.
Where childish sarcasm is concerned [ganojomo], your first remark would give drinking water the strength of hydrochloric acid. Secondly it takes an adult, and not a child, to acknowledge an oversight. By the way, did you forget a verb after the pronoun in the last line of the second comment?
When you count words do you also count the different meanings of the exact same spelling? That would add a significant number of words to the count as many common words have many varied usages. a word with you, get the word about something, write a word, send word, and many more similar examples will keep you counting for a while yet!
Well, what more can I say, except...I agree with you dj1. I believe this blog is meant to be a 'friendly' discussion about 'Words', not a 'lets pick on everybody else's comments' exercise. There is always a 'nice' way to say the things we would like to say. Let's focus on that shall we? Have a lovely relaxing weekend everyone!
DJ1, you talk of childishness. In one's first comment, you were asked for a response. What was it, but for you to pathetically cringe under both liesl grimm and ganojomo aprons (what does that say, son, about your degree of both maturity and intelligence), and let them childishly defend your effete cowardice. Shall that immaturity be how you conduct and define your life, son. Then you lead a really piteous one.
Here we go again! NO COMMENT!!! Where oh where is the discussion about 'Words'?????????? Be nice people or don't say anything at all!
So many words, I can't count them all. I agree Stitchpuzz, 'new' varied meanings of the same word adds a new dimension to the English language. With new words being added daily there really is no end to the count! For all you members with just too much time on your hands.... Start Counting!!
Dj1, brb & winnjazza you have hit the nail on the head! What happened to friendly discussions about words? For those who enjoy Samuel Johnsons as a fascinating read, why don't you just stick to doing crosswords, rather than having cross words!
Are you saying "relle" that you need to blandish that fatuous dj1 through childishly supercilious remarks.
Attack the ball, not the player! Yow1e you are getting tiresome in your stupid attacks on people - how about some intelligent comments on the subject?
I love crosswords, particularly cryptics, and so i appreciate relle's double-meaning clue
rhve pleased I can be heard by others..as for comments that think my remarks are childish..take a good look at your self! I love this quote...a bully is always a coward.
You are the abject fatuousity dj1. With neither a proctalgia like you nor your supercilious blandishers there would be no fun. Please keep addressing me with the puerile comments, as I am enjoying making the responses. As a matter of fact, this is more fun than doing a puzzle.
Well sorry to spoil your fun.... but I would rather spend my time in games & chat with people that are like Dj1....I'm not interested in replying to this blog again....but maybe this is a good quote to think about....think first & speak afterwards!
Relle there is another saying, "when truth hurts, then feel it, because no apology shall be given to what is either said or done".
oh yow1e were you addressing the last statement to yourself? And before you address people as youngsters or the equivalent, kindly look up their names on the membership. They have ages on them. And I, for example, am old enough to be your mother. LOL. Unless, of course, you cheated about your age?
Liesl are you (in the second line) alluding to that abject fatuousity called dj1. Now girly either be more specific in your childish allusions or are just another one of that fatuousities supercilious blandishers. By the way, keep up the childish lauding girly, it's fun responding to it.
Yow1e you have a bad case of verbal diarrhoea-take some chill pills sonny!
Tell me girly (liponstick) do you wallow in being a proctalgia, or is that secondary to your amentia.
Since lingua franca started the games of intellectual chess (as yowie called it earlier up the page) I decided to google and found an interesting wikipedia article though I am also aware that wikipedia may not be the definitive source it does answer dj's original query. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_franca
Fatuosity has only one u, and as "fatuousities" (sic) is a possessive as used above, not a plural it should be "fatuosity's". Wouldn't like to see anyone making a fool of himself by ignorant misuse of his words. This blog has certainly elicited an interesting range of words not commonly used but I notice that repetition is setting in.
Talk about being not only scortum but also blennus. You two (stitchpudd & rhve)ought to be lauded as being asinus, but that can be overlooked. Firstly (rhve) fatuous has two u's, or are you so imbecilic, that you have no concept of how to employ a dictionary. Secondly (stitchpudd) lingua franca is a bastard italian phrase (id est it's language is half and half), and as said earlier it refers to not only the gauls of germany but also the lesser language. Est one thing to be a supercilious blandisher, and another in boasting of being imbecilic, but you two, like others, excel in being both.
Staff
Let's keep it on topic please, folks... and please refrain from posting offensive or insulting remarks.
I never made any claims as to my intellect or knowledge so I feel no insult whatsoever. I found the article interesting for the history of the phrase which had not been addressed at that point. Yowie is the winner on showing how many words he actually can use on a daily basis. If enough people get the meaning of words incorrect as to the standards there will just be new usage meanings for that word adding to the potential count.
To whom have you made your comments to, Dr Play. Est both courteously and equitably requested that either addressings be made specific or not at all. Afterall self defence is an unchallenged legal right. Furthermore it shall be both argued, and therein predicated that not only persons ought not to intrude and provoke an argument (on behalf of some other) with another, if they do not want them to defend themselves against that intrusion and provocation, but also persons ought not to make argumentative comments upon either words or phrases that they have no knowledge of. As for myself (re stitchpuzz's first line) it was asked (liesl Grimm), if I were a lawyer, whereby the appropriate answer was given.
I think it is quite obvious who Dr.Play is referring to. Thank you Dr.Play for intervening. I must say though I have had a good laugh this morning! However I do look forward to continuing a 'friendly' discussion about 'Words'.
Ugh,yow1e, your pretend latin word usage to sound erudite is sickening. Asinus is the Latin noun for ass. The adjective in English is actually asinine. That is the only one I will explain to you. In future, kindly look up your dictionary before trying to use "erudite" words.
For your information Liesl, asinus (m) is used in the nom case (I take it, you do know the respective latin cases)for blockhead, fool, dolt etc.,. If your knowledge of latin is as good as you claim, then you would not have made yourself look so fatuous in your last childish remark. I quite agree with you winnnjazza, give your mirror a break, I think it's getting fed up looking at that proctalgia.
Sticks & stones will break my bones.....but your words are ludicrous! Listen to the Dr & give up Yowie!
Staff
It is always great to hear from the users of YouPlay and wonderful to see a blog post generate a good discussion. It’s important that members of the site feel as though they can contribute without their grammar and spelling being criticised publicly. People of many ages and backgrounds visit YouPlay and although some people may not be as eloquent as others, their opinions are also valued. As Dr.Play asked, please keep the comments friendly :) Avatar Chris
Quite right Yow1e, fatuous does have a second u, but fatuosity does not. Some words do change like that. The adjectives you have been using are starting to look like confessions rather than accusations. The unfamiliar words are certainly interesting to look up but I don't think I'll be using them in ordinary conversation. I speak to communicate, not to show off.
Well! Amazing what can happen when you're not looking. A few days away and the blog is filled with, um, well yes, words fail me. A Yowie by the way is a mythological humanoid in Australian bush-lore, similar to the Yeti or Bigfoot. That is, a beast that looks like a man but really isn't. Just thought I'd throw that in. Cheers
Liponstick; liesl grimm; winjazza, it was known that the hallick, dj1, wanted a skoka, but you three took the cake.
Oh the joys of the English language. May I politely suggest that Yow1e may be a floccinaucinihilipilificator.
Apologies - to be one myself - I should have had a question mark on the last comment.
For a lexical mythologist (maggie10) you certainly know your non-existent words. If you are going to use that verb (or its noun) again, make sure you either spell it correctly or use the semantics of it correctly or do both.
Maggie10, you may enjoy this site http://ideonexus.com/2005/07/10/the-floccinaucinihilipilificators/
At work the other day , i was told that Mrs J was s.o.b.whilst s.o.o.b., she needed a U.A to test levels of A.B'S , this was difficult as she has S.T.M.L , we suspected a U.T.I ? but it could have been her H.T ? she has been diagnosed with A.F. and C.C.F ?
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What fascinates me is that all our vocabularies are different, depending on our life experience. Our work supplies a specialised vocabulary, our hobbies and sport interests another portion of the whole, and even our friends' stories and anecdotes can add to our store of words. As a nurse I learned an extensive vocabulary of medical terms (many with Greek and Latin origins), then I flew light aircraft. Aviation not only has its own vocabulary, but is full of acronyms, which must be learned and understood. As an avid reader, I understand many words I've never used in conversation, and probably can't pronounce many of them, never having heard them spoken. Of course, crosswords add to everyone's vocabulary, so thank you for the continuing education, Christine.