| Urban Dictionary | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| URL | www.urbandictionary.com |
| Slogan | Define Your World |
| Alexa rank | ~2000 |
| Commercial? | Yes |
| Type of site | Slang Dictionary |
| Registration | optional |
| Available language(s) | English |
| Owner | Aaron Peckham |
| Created by | Aaron Peckham Jake Lee (main editor) |
| Launched | 1999 |
| Current status | active |
Urban Dictionary is an online dictionary whose definitions are written by users.[1][2] 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.
Contents |
History
The dictionary was founded by Aaron Peckham while he was an undergraduate at Cal Poly. The site went online in 1999.[3] As of December 2005, it had more than 300,000 definitions with new definitions coming in at a rate of 2000 per day. 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.
Quality control
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. 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.
Publication
In October 2006 a selection of tame definitions from the Urban Dictionary was published in book form. A second book was made available for pre-order in October 2007.
- Urban Dictionary: Fularious Street Slang Defined (by Aaron Peckham, 320 pages, Andrews McMeel, 2006, ISBN 0740751433)
- Mo' Urban Dictionary: Ridonkulous Street Slang Defined (by Aaron Peckham, 240 pages, Andrews McMeel, 2007, ISBN 0740768751)[4]
References
- ^ http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/urbandictionary-words-defined-by-people/
- ^ http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow_viewer/0,1205,l=213025&s=25234&a=212961&po=9,00.asp
- ^ Aaron Peckham (2005). Urban Dictionary: Fularious Street Slang Defined. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-514-33.
- ^ http://dwb.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/story/14117015p-14946256c.html
