This is why we dont have cool things any more… we make up our own knowledge just because it seems to fit
Acronyms didn’t become popular until fairly recently, so if the word is at least a century old, odds are that it isn’t an acronym.
That’s what I thought when I was a kid but I was told I was wrong!
From the Etymonline website:
news (n.) late 14c., “new things,” plural of new (n.) “new thing” (see new (adj.)); after French nouvelles, which was used in Bible translations to render Medieval Latin nova (neuter plural) “news,” literally “new things.”
The English word was construed as singular at least from the 1560s, but it sometimes still was regarded as plural 17c.-19c. The odd and doubtful construction probably accounts for the absurd folk-etymology (attested by 1640 but originally, and in 18c. usually, in jest-books) that claims it to be an abbreviation of north east south west, as though “information from all quarters of the compass.”
The meaning “tidings, intelligence of something that has lately taken place” is from early 15c. The meaning “radio or television program presenting current events” is from 1923. Bad news in the extended sense of “unpleasant person or situation” is from 1926. Expression no news, good news can be traced to 1640s. Expression news to me “something I did not know” is from 1889.
NORTH EAST WEST SOUTH
At least that’s what they taught us in journalism school
Actually it’s Never Eat While Shitting
Never eat skunks weiners, actually.
NESW
Not Everyone Wins Sayings
Oops. Should I not have done that? I mean if anyone had told me that sort of thing is frowned upon I never would’ve…
They’re joking. You should actually always eat while shitting and shit while eating. No exceptions.
That’s what the nice shelf is for on the toilet
Where else are you supposed to put your comic book and chocolate milk?
Beats me
My housemate at university used to eat a bowl of cereal while on the toilet in the morning. We referred to it as “the circle of life”.
I’d be mad as fuck lmao. You wanna talk about someone pissing in your cheerios, I hope you eat fast.
NORTH EAST WEST SOUTH
all in the same house
Dammit. Now I need to listen to some Escape Club
Lol, imagine if “sports” was part of the origin story of news as a concept.
I take issue with sports being in headline news practically every day, or multiple days per week at least.
I have nothing against people enjoying sports, but it’s a hobby like any other, which I think is unreasonably thrust upon everyone else.
Where is the eSports news, or competitive dancing, woodworking news, or as I’m sure we can all agree on Lemmy, what about my old electronic gadget of the week news?
When I had The Guardian app, it was quite annoying that sports was lumped in with the push notifications for actual news.
I’m just saying sports news ought to be opt-in like any other hobby.
I’m surprised. Merriam-Webster is usually the Urban Dictionary of print dictionaries. I’d have more expected them to change their definition because “muh common usage.”
Hacks. OED or death.
etymology has nothing to do with common usage.
also common usage is what defines words; that has nothing to do with MW. that’s how language works. i can’t believe there are still prescriptionists in this century.
I love that there are strong opinions like this out there for dictionaries.
You’ve convinced me. I’m ride or die for OED now too.
Hopefully you’re an “Oxford comma, ride or die”, too.
I do like that vampire weekend song.