The verb to google (also spelled to Google) refers to using the Google search engine to obtain information on the Web. For example, "Mary googled for recipes." A neologism arising from the popularity and dominance[1] of the eponymous search engine, the American Dialect Society chose it as the "most useful word of 2002." [2] It was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary on June 15, 2006,[3] and to the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary in July 2006.[4] The first recorded usage of google used as a verb was on July 8, 1998, by Larry Page himself, who wrote on a mailing list: "Have fun and keep googling!"[5] Fearing the dilution and potential loss of its trademark, Google has attempted to discourage use of the word as a verb, particularly when used as a synonym for general web searching. In February 23, 2003[6], the company sent a cease and desist letter to Paul McFedries, creator of Word Spy, a website that tracks neologisms.[7] In an article in the Washington Post, Frank Ahrens discussed the letter he received from a Google lawyer that demonstrated "appropriate" and "inappropriate" ways to use the verb "google".[8] It was reported that, in response to this concern, lexicographers for the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary lowercased the actual entry for the word, google, while maintaining the capitalization of the search engine in their definition, "to use the Google search engine to seek online information" (a concern which did not deter the Oxford editors from preserving the history of both "cases").[9] In October 25, 2006, Google sent a plea to the public requesting that "you should please only use 'Google' when you’re actually referring to Google Inc. and our services."[10]
Other meanings
- The OED lists an older verb 'google' (without initial capital), meaning to bowl a googly in the game of cricket.
- In business slang, "to be Googled" can mean to be underpriced or otherwise thoroughly competed out of a market by another company offering the same product or service "better and free". [11]
See also
References
- ^ Burns, Enid (June 19, 2007). Top 10 Search Providers, April 2007. SearchEngineWatch.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ 2002 Words of the Year. American Dialect Society (January 13, 2003). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Bylund, Anders. "To Google or Not to Google." The Motley Fool. July 5, 2006. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.
- ^ Harris, Scott D. "Dictionary adds verb: to google." San Jose Mercury News. July 7, 2006. Retrieved on July 7, 2006.
- ^ Page, Larry (July 8, 1998). Google Search Engine: New Features. Google Friends Mailing List. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
- ^ McFedries, Paul (February 23, 2003). Google trademark concerns. American Dialect Society Mailing List. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Duffy, Jonathan. "Google calls in the 'language police'." BBC News. June 20, 2003. Retrieved on July 7, 2006.
- ^ Frank Ahrens. "So Google Is No Brand X, but What Is 'Genericide'?", Washington Post, 2006-08-05. Retrieved on 2006-08-05.
- ^ Noon, Chris. "Brin, Page See 'Google' Take Its Place In Dictionary." Forbes. July 6, 2006. Retrieved on July 7, 2006.
- ^ Krantz, Michael (October 25, 2006). Do you "Google?". The Official Google Blog. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Rogers, Garett (October 25, 2006). Yahoo “Googled” Google Answers. ZDNet.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
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