Urban Dictionary: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox_Website |
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|name=Urban Dictionary |
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|logo= [[Image:UrbanDictionarylogo.gif]] |
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|screenshot=[[Image:UDhomepage.png|200px|A screenshot of Urban Dictionary's front page]] |
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|url= [http://www.urbandictionary.com/ www.UrbanDictionary.com/] |
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|commercial=Yes |
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|type=[[Slang]] [[Dictionary]] |
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|registration=optional |
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|owner=Aaron Peckham |
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|author=Aaron Peckham |
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}} |
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'''Urban Dictionary''' is an [[online]] [[dictionary]] whose definitions are written by users. With an [[Alexa Internet|Alexa]] ranking as one of the 2000 highest [[web traffic]] sites, Urban Dictionary is touted as the "Internet's unofficial slang authority" for definitions.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} |
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The dictionary was founded by Aaron Peckham while he was an undergraduate at [[Cal Poly San Luis Obispo|Cal Poly]]. The site went online on [[October 14]],[[2001]]. As of December 2005, it had more than 300,000 definitions with new definitions coming in at a rate of 2000 per day.<ref>[http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R606161000 Kqed radio forum]</ref> Words with multiple definitions are listed in order of users' thumbs-up or -down votes. Votes, limited to one per user for each entry, are tallied simply by clicking a thumb next to the definition. Poor or unpopular definitions are effectively buried under higher ranked definitions. Often, thumbs-up votes are influenced as much by an entry's humor as by its accuracy. For many users, the site is primarily a form of entertainment. Besides slang, Urban Dictionary also contains [[Internet]] [[jargon]], [[neologisms]], bands, and school/town/state rivalries. According to the site's posted user profile, 75% of the users are under 25. |
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Urban Dictionary is built on user contributions, but unlike Wikipedia and some other [[open source]] products, each definition stands alone without further refinement. The only form of communal interaction is voting which can identify definitions as popular or unpopular, so UD does not purport to be authoritative or balanced. Despite its low [[signal-to-noise ratio]] (i.e. an abundance of [[graffiti]]), Urban Dictionary could be a valuable resource for those looking for information on cutting edge slang, although critics argue that it is so unreliable as to make this "dictionary" utterly useless as a resource for anything other than vulgar humour.<ref name="timesonline"/> |
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In addition, Urban Dictionary is recommended for adult audiences. It contains frequent explicit language, and some of the pictures that are submitted may contain nudity, or other explicit imagery. |
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==Quality control== |
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The [[quality control]] system reduces the number of hateful and personal definitions. Urban Dictionary allows racial and sexual slurs because such terms are a major part of slang but not [[racist]] or [[sexist]] definitions. In other words, entries can document discrimination but not endorse it. The quality control process has gone through several iterations. Originally, a user that objected to a definition could submit a complaint. Deletion requests were added to a pool that was reviewed by users to choose whether "it stays", "it goes", or "don't know". However, this approach was abandoned because many volunteer reviewers approved definitions based on whether they agreed with the tone or opinions expressed. |
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Under the current reviewing system, newly submitted definitions are entered into the editing queue before appearing on the site. Volunteer editors vote to accept or reject definitions in the queue. Words with no other definitions on the site go to the front of the queue. Conversely, words with many definitions wait longer before being reviewed by editors. This system allows new slang to appear within a day or two. Each submission is reviewed by a number of volunteers (the exact number varies, but lies between two and nine), with controversial definitions being viewed by more people. Definitions with more accept votes than reject votes appear on the site. |
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==Publication== |
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In October 2006 a selection of tame definitions from the Urban Dictionary was published in book form: |
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*''Urban Dictionary: Fularious Street Slang Defined'' (by Aaron Peckham, 320 pages, [[Andrews McMeel Publishing|Andrews McMeel]], 2006, ISBN 0740751433) |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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*[http://dwb.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/story/14117015p-14946256c.html "In the hot seat: 'Ginormous' Web site makes phat book - look it up"] - Interview with Aaron Peckham in the ''Sacramento Bee'' January 7, 2006 (registration required) |
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*[http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R606161000 Radio interview with Aaron Peckham], June 16, 2006 |
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.doubletongued.org/index.php/grantbarrett/comments/language_evolution_in_the_digital_age Critique of open source dictionaries such as Urban Dictionary and Wiktionary by a lexicographer] |
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*[http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061025-8069.html Eight-year court case over censorship and the Child Online Protection Act (COPA)] |
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[[Category:Lexicography]] |
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[[Category:Online dictionaries]] |
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[[Category:Slang]] |
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[[Category:Technology in society]] |
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[[Category:Neologisms| ]] |
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[[Category:Internet slang]] |
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[[hr:Urban Dictionary]] |
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[[no:Urbandictionary.com]] |
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Revision as of 16:54, 17 September 2007
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