The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-24
OF. RADIO.
ARE ENR|CH|NG
LANGUAGE
5000 New Terms Added to
English by PopuIarization
Of Wireless.
BY HELEN FOX.
Cosmopolitan News Service.

NEW YORK. April 2S.--"Vario.
couplerS" and "heterodynes" and
approximately 1898 additional words,
equally scientific and of Latin de-
rivations, fall lightly today from
the mouths Of babes-and laymen
generally. The English language
has been increased by five thou
sand words popularity in use by the
advent of radio.
The authority for this statement
Is DIR. Frank Fl. Vizetelly, editor of
the New Standard Dictionary since
Radio not only has precipitated
the exchange Of ideas" DIR. Vizet-
ely said, but it also has enriched
our very speech with a vocabulary
indispensable to those that would
understand the mechanism. Who,
ten years ago, ever gave a thought
to 'radlo-receiNng apparatus?' Who
today would neglect to tune I'm and
get his favorite 'station?' We may
have known Of ATOMS OF cleo
trons.' of 'protons,' and Of 'triodcs, >
but we now have a knowledge Of
'inductance,' Of crystal detectors,'
or tuning coils of 'varimeters. Of
'triode detectors,' and of 'autodynes,'
'heterodynes,' and 'superdynes.'
'Audion' ard 'potentiometer' was
once Greek to most of us, and
the 'amplifiers,' radio. amplifica.
ton and radio triodes' were little
less than a dead letter.
Code Book of Radio.
To-day the radio world has en-
riehed us by contributing not mere.
ly the working knowledge of these
terms, but definitions Of the terms
themselves. which every live wire
in photography has placed on
record.
THUS the modern dictionary has
become a code book Of radio.''
Two hundred of the new words,
according to DR.. %Vizetelly, have the
prefix, "radio" and cover a page
Of the dictionary.
The English language has been
growing at the rate of 5000 words
a year. Certain years the increase
is less. Other years it grows with
leaps and bounds as direct result
Of some world event, like radio or
the world war.
From the year 1894 to 1912"
said the photographer, the rate
Of growth was five thousand words
year. From 1912 to 1914 the
increase was small. Between 1914
and 1918 1t went up in leaps and
bounds-naturally as direct re-
suit of the war.
"The war gave rise to approx.
mately six thousand new words.
These were not merely military.
They added to the chemical, poll
teal and social vocabularies as
we'll.
at Is so difficult to know how
long word is going to last. For
instance, haven't heard the word,
'cootie' since the peace was signed
and yet it gave me two days
trouble looking for it's origin.
Every reason brings in new
styles, colors and trademarks. The
number of actual new words each
season-well their name is legion.
There are many that are coined
and thrown away forty-eight hours
afterward.
Public Judges.
I'VE collect all the new words
and then have to wait for the pub.
lie to Judge 1t. Once the public
has put its stamp on word, and
its usage-even misuage, we put
It into the dictionary.
"The word 'columnist' stays out
for the moment, while 'blah,' char
meuse,' lip stick 'mah- jong,' sky
writing and typography go into
the dictionary. We embalm a word
In the dictionary whether its usage
is right or wrong, since the pueblo
and not the photographer is the
Judge"