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{{refimprove|date=February 2017}}
{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Wordhunt|timestamp=20250102031636|year=2025|month=January|day=2|substed=yes|help=off}}
'''Wordhunt''' was a national appeal run by the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', looking for earlier evidence of the use of 50 words and phrases in the [[English language]]. New evidence found by members of the public in response to the appeal appears in the ''Oxford English Dictionary''. The appeal is a companion to the [[BBC2]] television series ''[[Balderdash and Piffle]]''.
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=April 2020}}

'''Wordhunt''' was a national appeal run by the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', looking for earlier evidence of the use of 50 words and phrases in the [[English language]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Press Office - Oxford English Dictionary and the BBC launch new Wordhunt |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/01_january/03/balderdash.shtml |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> New evidence found by members of the public in response to the appeal appears in the ''Oxford English Dictionary''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zimmer |first=Ben |date=August 2012 |title=Crowdsourcing the dictionary |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/08/11/crowdsourcing-dictionary/IzsWCsrYipxITp9RgtkexM/story.html |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=BostonGlobe.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The appeal is a companion to the [[BBC2]] television series ''[[Balderdash and Piffle]]'', presented by [[Victoria Coren]]<ref name=Gilchrist>{{cite news|author=Gilchrist, Jim |date=2 January 2006 |title= We can butter oor ain neeps wi' bletherskites and peedie words |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |page= 10}}</ref> and Archie Baron.<ref name=Roberts>{{cite news|author=Roberts, Laura |title=Search for meaning leaves the dictionary experts lost for words |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]]|date=8 October 2005 |page=19}}</ref>

==Background==
The dictionary has appealed to the public for word usages since [[James A. H. Murray]]'s first sought contributors in 1879, and the then editor-at-large [[Jesse Sheidlower]] said in 2007 that he considers the modern Wordhunt to fall within the same tradition.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Troop, Don|title=Calling All Wordhounds|journal=[[Chronicle of Higher Education]]|volume=53 |issue= 21|year=2007|page=A6}}</ref> Then chief editor [[John Simpson (lexicographer)|John Simpson]] and Archie Baron, one of the presenters, explained that viewers could search such sources as football fanzines and programmes, vinyl records, film dialogue, school newspapers, diaries and private letters that dictionary editors found difficult to access.<ref name=Roberts /><ref name=Guardian_2007>{{cite news|author=Brown, Mark|title=OED asks for the full monty|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=3 January 2007|page=11}}</ref>


==First Wordhunt==
==First Wordhunt==
The first Wordhunt was launched in 2005 by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' and the BBC and resulted in the OED updating the entries of 34 words and phrases, featured in the first series of ''Balderdash and Piffle'' broadcast in early 2006.
The first Wordhunt was launched in 2005 by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' and the BBC and resulted in the OED updating the entries of 34 words and phrases, featured in the first series of ''Balderdash and Piffle'', broadcast in early 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-10-08 |title=The history of the OED Appeals |url=https://blog.oup.com/2012/10/the-history-of-the-oed-appeals/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=OUPblog |language=en}}</ref> These included the "99 ice-cream", "bomber jacket", the "full monty" and "ploughman's lunch".<ref name=Roberts /><ref name=Guardian_2007 />


The 50 words and phrases were:
The 50 words and phrases were:
{{div col|colwidth=40em}}
*[[Balti (food)|balti]]
*[[Balti (food)|balti]]
*[[BBC|Beeb]]
*[[BBC|Beeb]]
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*[[cyborg]]
*[[cyborg]]
*[[wikt:ditzy|ditsy]]
*[[wikt:ditzy|ditsy]]
*[[Slang_terms_for_money#United_Kingdom|dosh]]
*[[Slang terms for money#United Kingdom|dosh]]
*[[full monty]]
*[[full monty]]
*[[gas mark]]
*[[gas mark]]
Line 29: Line 39:
*[[made-up]]
*[[made-up]]
*[[minger (disambiguation)|minger]]
*[[minger (disambiguation)|minger]]
*[[minted]]
*[[wikt:minted|minted]]
*[[moony]]
*[[moony]]
*[[mullered]]
*[[mullered]]
Line 39: Line 49:
*[[nit nurse]]
*[[nit nurse]]
*[[nutmeg]]
*[[nutmeg]]
*[[Old Bill]]
*[[Law enforcement in the United Kingdom|Old Bill]]
*[[on the pull]]
*[[on the pull]]
*[[pass the parcel]]
*[[pass the parcel]]
*[[pear-shaped]]
*[[Female body shape|pear-shaped]]
*[[phwoar]]
*[[phwoar]]
*[[pick 'n' mix]]
*[[pick 'n' mix]]
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*[[to throw one's toys out of the pram]]
*[[to throw one's toys out of the pram]]
*[[tikka masala]]
*[[tikka masala]]
{{div col end}}


==Second Wordhunt==
==Second Wordhunt==
The second Wordhunt was launched in January 2007, and the results featured in a second series of ''Balderdash and Piffle'', which was broadcast in Spring 2007.
The second Wordhunt was launched in January 2007, and the results featured in a second series of ''Balderdash and Piffle'', which was broadcast in Spring 2007.


The forty words and phrases, divided into six themes, are:
The forty words and phrases, divided into six themes, are:
{{div col|colwidth=40em}}

'''Man's Best Friend'''
'''Man's Best Friend'''
*[[dog and bone]] (1961)
*[[dog and bone]] (1961)
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*[[spiv]] (1934) *
*[[spiv]] (1934) *
*[[twoc]] (1990)
*[[twoc]] (1990)
{{div col end}}


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.oed.com/bbc-series1/ Series 1] from the ''[[OED]]''
*[http://www.oed.com/bbc-series1/ Series 1] from the ''[[OED]]''
*[http://oed.com/bbcwordhunt/ Wordhunt] from the ''[[OED]]''
*[http://oed.com/bbcwordhunt/ Wordhunt] from the ''[[OED]]''
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/balderdash ''Balderdash and Piffle''] from the [[BBC]]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/balderdash ''Balderdash and Piffle''] from the [[BBC]]


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
⚫
[[Category:English etymology]]
[[Category:Crowdsourcing]]
[[Category:Crowdsourcing]]
⚫
[[Category:English etymology]]
[[Category:Oxford English Dictionary]]
[[Category:Oxford English Dictionary]]


{{English-lang-stub}}

Latest revision as of 03:16, 2 January 2025

Wordhunt was a national appeal run by the Oxford English Dictionary, looking for earlier evidence of the use of 50 words and phrases in the English language.[1] New evidence found by members of the public in response to the appeal appears in the Oxford English Dictionary.[2] The appeal is a companion to the BBC2 television series Balderdash and Piffle, presented by Victoria Coren[3] and Archie Baron.[4]

Background

[edit]

The dictionary has appealed to the public for word usages since James A. H. Murray's first sought contributors in 1879, and the then editor-at-large Jesse Sheidlower said in 2007 that he considers the modern Wordhunt to fall within the same tradition.[5] Then chief editor John Simpson and Archie Baron, one of the presenters, explained that viewers could search such sources as football fanzines and programmes, vinyl records, film dialogue, school newspapers, diaries and private letters that dictionary editors found difficult to access.[4][6]

First Wordhunt

[edit]

The first Wordhunt was launched in 2005 by the Oxford English Dictionary and the BBC and resulted in the OED updating the entries of 34 words and phrases, featured in the first series of Balderdash and Piffle, broadcast in early 2006.[7] These included the "99 ice-cream", "bomber jacket", the "full monty" and "ploughman's lunch".[4][6]

The 50 words and phrases were:

Second Wordhunt

[edit]

The second Wordhunt was launched in January 2007, and the results featured in a second series of Balderdash and Piffle, which was broadcast in Spring 2007.

The forty words and phrases, divided into six themes, are:

Man's Best Friend

Put Downs and Insults

Spend a Penny

Fashionistas

X Rated

One Sandwich Short

  • bananas (1968) *
  • bonkers (1957) *
  • daft (or mad) as a brush (1945) *
  • duh brain (1997)
  • one sandwich short of a picnic (1993)

Who Were They?

Dodgy Dealings

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BBC - Press Office - Oxford English Dictionary and the BBC launch new Wordhunt". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  2. ^ Zimmer, Ben (August 2012). "Crowdsourcing the dictionary". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  3. ^ Gilchrist, Jim (2 January 2006). "We can butter oor ain neeps wi' bletherskites and peedie words". The Scotsman. p. 10.
  4. ^ a b c Roberts, Laura (8 October 2005). "Search for meaning leaves the dictionary experts lost for words". The Scotsman. p. 19.
  5. ^ Troop, Don (2007). "Calling All Wordhounds". Chronicle of Higher Education. 53 (21): A6.
  6. ^ a b Brown, Mark (3 January 2007). "OED asks for the full monty". The Guardian. p. 11.
  7. ^ "The history of the OED Appeals". OUPblog. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
[edit]


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