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Society served by slang index

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by Steve Lampiris

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

For a website that began as the "anti-dictionary, a parody of Dictionary.com" and has now generated two books (this one included), Urbandictionary.com has become more than just a caricature of society and culture. Today, it is society and culture — or, more specifically, a guide to it. Take that how you will, but the website is an important tool in the 21st century: It was cited in a United Kingdom court case between two rappers and also "referenced in trademark disputes."

With that said, is the second book, "Mo' Urban Dictionary: Ridonkulous Street Slang," from the eponymous website worth your time? Of course it is. This book can help the, let us say, "societally uninformed" understand modern vernacular. That, or it can just be used for a good laugh now and then.

But this is perhaps the best aspect of the book. There are two legitimate opinions toward this book — either that the book is a commentary on modern slang or simply a handbook for it. In either case, the book is full of useful words, terms and phrases to assist with the (often absurd) conversations in today's world.

Certainly with a term like "absoserious" (definition: "Absolutely serious, but shorter. We all like short words when we want to be cute."), those who would pass the book off as "a ridiculous way to make money off a ridiculous idea" may have a point. However, the book offers its own rebuttal right in the text. Yes, it does have a word like "absoserious" with its own definition, but it's in this definition that the underlying intelligence and wit truly come to the surface. The second sentence is simultaneously a belief that today's youth hold a commentary on that belief.

Right alongside slang contractions are terms like "barfarrhea" ("Diarrhea while vomiting.") and "peegasm" ("The euphoric shiver felt by the human male during a long-awaited urination."), and there's political slang, as well. Terms like "Limousine liberal" ("Wealthy person who adopts the cause of the downtrodden; carries a connotation of hypocrisy.") and "9/11 Republican" ("A person who usually voted Democratic, but has been taken in by the Bush administration's fear-mongering.") within pages of street slang suggest that the book is more than one-dimensional and could be a lower-class version of The Onion.

Perhaps the most useful aspect of the book is its ability to be useful for everyone with respect to terminology. Right beside useless frat-speak like "SBD" ("Silent but deadly," referring to a fart) there are practical terms like "Snap Music" (rap from the Dirty South that is slower than crunk). Hence, this book is not just toilet reading or something to whip out after a few beers — it can actually contribute to society.

I guess the introduction to the book says it best: "Urban Dictionary is more than a dictionary — it's a catalogue of popular culture you helped write." And, much like Wikipedia and its "truthiness," the Urban Dictionary "allows for many truths

" and this book is a collection of said truths. In this day and age that counts for a lot, especially for all those "digitards" and "techtards" out there.

4.5 out of 5 stars

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Anonymous (November 28, 2007 @ 2:55am):

I love Urban Dictionary. Especially since it's the only way I can describe coasties to non-wisconsin people.

"urban dictionary that shit" has become part of my typical speech.

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