MED Magazine - Issue 47 - October 2007

MED Web Watch
by Mairi MacDonald

Double-Tongued Dictionary
http://www.doubletongued.org/

Double-Tongued Dictionary describes itself as ‘a lexicon of fringe English, focusing on slang, jargon and new words’. The website is the work of Grant Barrett, an American lexicographer and editor of The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English. The main criterion for inclusion is that a featured word must not be already included in an ordinary dictionary. At the time of writing there are 1168 entries.

The site has a dynamic feel, with new words added regularly, pretty much on a daily basis. The design encourages you to click on and explore the site further: the latest entry is the first thing you notice on the front page and there’s a list of seven or so of the latest entries within easy clicking distance. Other browsing options (alpha order, date order or by category) are clearly visible.

As well as a definition, each entry is accompanied by an editorial note and an etymological note. In some cases entries are linked to sites like Flickr and YouTube for photo and video evidence. The extensive citations provide evidence and context for each entry, with links to online sources. Readers are encouraged to comment on each entry.

Entries are archived alphabetically as well as according to category (subject, register, language, class, country and state, province or city). The content is also listed in date order.

One interesting feature is that you can see entries in progress - the New Citations section lists quotations for new words which may or may not develop into full entries in the future. There are currently 13191 citations yet to be allocated a full entry.

The site's author is also the co-host of a radio show called A Way with Words, where listeners phone in with questions about words, grammar and language. To tune in to the podcast version, follow the ‘talk about language . . ’ link at the top of the site’s homepage.

This is a thoroughly entertaining site, not only because it provides a record of real English, but because it is just as interesting to read about how the editor acquires new words. Double-Tongued Dictionary is very much a living dictionary and the About section gives an insight into the method behind it’s creation and development. It's clear that just because a word is slang, that doesn't mean the research into it should be any less rigorous. Further observations on language can be found in the editor’s blog The Lexicographer's Rules.

Double-Tongued Dictionary is a valuable resource that exploits Internet technology to the full. Entries are constantly being revised and added to, and there’s also the opportunity to have your say, or contribute by posting a comment. The content is organised in a way that makes browsing easy, while the podcast and blog supplement the site nicely.

Score
current and archived content
up-to-dateness/topicality
graphic design and navigation
speed and technical performance
features and functionality
overall score	23 out of 25