Merriam-Webster threw shade at people who don't know the word genderqueer
Merriam-Webster sent some people running to look up "throwing shade" on Monday after they chided those who criticized their addition of "genderqueer" to the dictionary.
After Merriam-Webster added an array of gender-related terms to the dictionary on April 20 — including "genderqueer," "cisgender" and the title "Mx" — the dictionary used social media to respond to criticism it had received.
The result is pure shade.
People keep
1) saying they don't know what 'genderqueer' means
then
2) asking why we added it to the dictionary pic.twitter.com/wsGZ7Y6XB8— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 25, 2016
Here are a few of the tweets that set Merriam-Webster off into its clapback:
. @MerriamWebsterpic.twitter.com/QRZxBnvRZe
— Patrick Mustard (@Pat__Mustard) April 21, 2016
@MerriamWebster You've got to be fucking kidding me? There are 2 genders that's it.
— Chris Jones (@Y2JFAN1) April 21, 2016
Part of the problem is, of course, that many people still reject the identities of "genderqueer" and "cisgender." But, as the Washington Post points out, another issue rests on whether the dictionary should dictate how people use language or if people's word choice should influence the dictionary.
"The dictionary has to be a living, breathing, changing thing because it reflects the English language, which is a living, breathing, ever-changing thing," Dictionary.com lexicographer Jane Solomon told Mic in an earlier interview.
Merriam-Webster's Twitter feed over the past couple of days reflects the changing nature of the English language.
Words which were considered slang in 1916:
Awful
Cop
Fake
Fan
Fluke
Grouchy
Hunch
Kidhttps://t.co/m4PGNdqaNC— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 26, 2016
People keep asking us to ignore "fake words," so here goes: Antidisestablishmentarianism is not in the dictionary. https://t.co/cdq0K8O4EN
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 26, 2016
To double down on its point, three hours after their "genderqueer" tweet, Merriam-Webster tweeted out the definition of throwing shade.
This is what it means to throw shade. https://t.co/phQsoydcBQ
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 25, 2016
A+ job, Merriam-Webster. To the haters: "genderqueer" has arrived and it's not going anywhere.
See which words are most misspelled in each state: