In 2010 a joint Harvard/Google study found the English language contained 1,022,000 words and was expanding at the rate of 8,500 words per year. The findings came from a computer analysis of 5,195,769 digitised books. Others have estimated a rate of growth of 25,000 words each year.
Even if you take a more conservative estimate from the Oxford English Dictionary of 250,000 words I know I only learn and use a fraction of these.
How many new words do I hear and see each day that I forget or never use?
Why?
Is it that my 50 plus brain has given up?
Or is it because I am not sure how to pronounce or use them without sounding like a complete idiot?
Probably a combination of both.
My challenge this year is to learn and use a new word each day.
Through this blog I will share what my new word means, how to pronounce it, how I used it.
Join me for my year of new words from 1st January 2013.
How many new words do I hear and see each day that I forget or never use?
Why?
Is it that my 50 plus brain has given up?
Or is it because I am not sure how to pronounce or use them without sounding like a complete idiot?
Probably a combination of both.
My challenge this year is to learn and use a new word each day.
Through this blog I will share what my new word means, how to pronounce it, how I used it.
Join me for my year of new words from 1st January 2013.
