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| 'Millionth English word' declared | 'Millionth English word' declared |
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| A US web monitoring firm has declared the millionth English word to be Web 2.0, a term for the latest generation of web products and services. | A US web monitoring firm has declared the millionth English word to be Web 2.0, a term for the latest generation of web products and services. |
| Global Language Monitor (GLM) searches the internet for newly coined terms, and once a word or phrase has been used 25,000 times, it recognises it. | Global Language Monitor (GLM) searches the internet for newly coined terms, and once a word or phrase has been used 25,000 times, it recognises it. |
| GLM said Web 2.0 beat out the terms Jai ho, N00b and slumdog to take top spot. | GLM said Web 2.0 beat out the terms Jai ho, N00b and slumdog to take top spot. |
| However, traditional dictionary makers are casting doubt on the claim and the methods behind it. | However, traditional dictionary makers are casting doubt on the claim and the methods behind it. |
| GLM, based in Texas, makes its money telling organisations how often they are mentioned in new media, such as the internet, but it can also track new words and expressions. | GLM, based in Texas, makes its money telling organisations how often they are mentioned in new media, such as the internet, but it can also track new words and expressions. |
| Once a word has been used 25,000 times on social networking and other sites, GLM declares it be a new word. | Once a word has been used 25,000 times on social networking and other sites, GLM declares it be a new word. |
| The terms Jai ho and slumdog originate from the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire, about India's slum dwellers. | The terms Jai ho and slumdog originate from the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire, about India's slum dwellers. |
| But N00b comes from the gaming community, the company said, explaining that it is used as a disparaging term to describe a neophyte in a particular game. | But N00b comes from the gaming community, the company said, explaining that it is used as a disparaging term to describe a neophyte in a particular game. |
| It is also the "only mainstream English word that contains within itself two numerals", GLM said in a statement posted on its website. | It is also the "only mainstream English word that contains within itself two numerals", GLM said in a statement posted on its website. |
| Landmark doubted | Landmark doubted |
| However lexicographers doubt GLM's claim, says BBC arts correspondent Lawrence Pollard. | However lexicographers doubt GLM's claim, says BBC arts correspondent Lawrence Pollard. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Dictionaries have tighter criteria about what constitutes a new word. For example, it has to be used over a certain period of time. | Dictionaries have tighter criteria about what constitutes a new word. For example, it has to be used over a certain period of time. |
| Lexicographers say the exact size of the English vocabulary is impossible to quantify, but if every technical term or obscure specialist word is accepted then we are already beyond one million, according to our correspondent. | Lexicographers say the exact size of the English vocabulary is impossible to quantify, but if every technical term or obscure specialist word is accepted then we are already beyond one million, according to our correspondent. |
| And if the inclusion of specialist slang is restricted, then there are possibly three quarters of a million words in English. | And if the inclusion of specialist slang is restricted, then there are possibly three quarters of a million words in English. |
| All of which is way beyond the 20-40,000 words a fluent speaker would use, or the few thousand you could get by with in English. | All of which is way beyond the 20-40,000 words a fluent speaker would use, or the few thousand you could get by with in English. |
| But with 1.5 billion people speaking some version of English, it is small wonder it is the fastest growing language in the world, our correspondent adds. | But with 1.5 billion people speaking some version of English, it is small wonder it is the fastest growing language in the world, our correspondent adds. |
| What's your favourite new word? What word best sums up these times? Send us your thoughts using the link below: | What's your favourite new word? What word best sums up these times? Send us your thoughts using the link below: |
| What's your favourite new word? | What's your favourite new word? |