Erin McKean: Go ahead, make up new words!

In this fun, short talk from TEDYouth, lexicographer Erin McKean encourages — nay, cheerleads — her audience to create new words when the existing ones won’t quite do. She lists out 6 ways to make new words in English, from compounding to “verbing,” in order to make language better at expressing what we mean, and to create more ways for us to understand one another.

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[realmetatron]

It is time we continued using the old English word "overmorrow" instead of saying "the day after tomorrow".

For "the day before yesterday", you can also say "ereyesterday".

[jo-nbrt]

her voice is so nice to listen to!!!! entertaining talk as well :)

[Edchatrant]

After showing this TED talk to my eighth-grade class, they've decided that they want to create their own online dictionary. It's going to be their final project.

[RelateGREAT]

Oh my, I love this so much. And you’re such an informative and entertaining presenter! Thank you.

[placeholdername]

Funny that she talks about legos, because lego is a compound of the danish word "Leg" and "Godt". In english Leg=Play, Godt=Good. Just a fun fact.

[MariahWadsworth]

My daughter came up with "linner" that in between lunch and not quite dinner meal yet period. We use it all the time in my house.

[chandroo]

Exactly. That is why I've always told my friends Urban Dictionary is contributing more to English language than any other singular source. They record the evolution of the language. I know Oxford would agree with me, look at their last few years' word of the year.

[bartjuhbeekmans]

New words? You'd love the terminology of Heidegger. He has a vocabulary of his own.

[hamslice]

Guys stop all the hate it's actually really cool. Think how other languages have really long descriptors of regular things because they just stuck a ton of old words together. English makes new words that are short and sweet and that can convey new meaning. Also as the lingua franca of globalization, it's cool that we can assimilate different languages also.

[LeonidasGGG]

Short, interesting, entertaining. All ingredients of a good TED. And she even keept all those teenagers engaged in the topic. Good call! :)

[quartzgrace]

My eight year old sister invented a word. "Nafungry" pronounced Nah-fun-gree and is a blend of "not full not hungry"

[rxa]

We need a new word for literally since it no longer means literally.

[iiicuuubreathingfullyoohoohooh]

Indubitably was just in the brain and thanks to enabling the dictation feature on the device I am using, hearing it said in a playful way growing up around jazz musicians, a great algorithm and someone documenting it I could see it’s spelling. This is exciting.

[woobiesftw]

This clear concise presentation is so going to help so many kids, who get confused learning ever changing languages. And also adults who disagree over nothing. So often only writers and artists and linguistics related professionals understand this.
No fundamental ideal shift will occur though, if English teaching educational systems, like the "O" levels, still mark students down for creating new words in their essays, even when they adhere to common English logic while doing so. 

[pvtpaink]

"They call them 'fingers', but I've never seen 'em fing... oh wait, there they go."

[WhiteSpatula]

I love the idea of making new words! Although.. I do still believe it’s easier to leave some of the “difficulter” ones alone. ;-) -Phill, Las Vegas

[juliahendrickson]

Travable: compound from travel+able, specifically used to refer to object that seem particularly well suited for travel... Such as a large scarf that doubles as a blanket & in a pinch can be used as a towel... Travable is not limited to objects but most commonly used in referring to them...

[iiicuuubreathingfullyoohoohooh]

So rare to hear an adult admit that language is an agreement between a group of people and that each tongue is up for more blends, mixtures and modifications.

[karlsjunior]

You are an awesome speaker. That was a great and entertaining talk. Loved it. So clever and fun!!!!

[buddy]

This is great.  I had no idea where 'words' came from.  Kinda like the chicken before the egg....LOL