Most of these new words have

ate tea ba te aed a> BEATS the 6 ha

ny 1 * roars tse

The venerable Concise Oxford Dictionary enters the compu

THIS FRIDAY evening we
mark the passing of yet anoth-
er year.

By A.P. McCredie

News Reporter

Full of good and bad news, years
are remembered for as many vari-
ous reasons as there are memories.

Deaths, birtiidays, anniversaries.
These are all things which we mark
ina frozen time and space.

A recent date marking the day |
came into this world was highlight-
ed by a gift-wrapped dictionary.
(My family has never been remem-
bered for their gift selection.)

However, it was not just any dic-
tionary, but The Concise Oxford
Dictionary, a work the remarkable
Anthony Burgess called an “epic
achievement.”

Anyone who has ventured into
the world of higher learning, such
as playing Scrabble on a rainy after-
noon, is no doubt familiar with the
glossy deep blue cover splashed
with green und red.

A striking difference in appear-
ance of this new, unstained, spine-
intact reference to the traditional
model was an electric blue oval in
the right bottom corner (ELEC-
TRIC BLUE! A palette one thought
was unknown to the graphic artists
at the Oxford University Press, a
crowd still regarding Roy
Lichtenstein as an “American car-
toonist’’).

The offensive color, however,
faded in comparison to the latest
additions to the words housed with-
in.

“The: New Edition for the
1990s,” the neon book-jacket
screamed, as if one’s not knowing
the words hidden within would
somehow cripple one’s future.

And what words!

Bum-bag. Cashpoint. Catalytic
converter. Chador. Chaos theory.
Dosh. Electronic mail. Glasnost.
Global warming. Hiv. Jojoba.
Karaoke. Laserdisc. Shell! suit.
Televangulist.

Try using all those in one sen-
tence.

| COMPARE THESE VALUES

been part of our vernacular for at
least five years, but | must admit
chador, dosh and bum-bag had me
ata los

Also at a loss was my computer
software's dictionary,

Chador. dosh. cashpoint. jojoba,
laserdise and televangelist had the
little cursor cursing. (in fact the
overworked machine even offered
the rather odd “Tel Evangelist” as a
suggestion for Televangelist. |
couldn't help but think about ail the
sci-fi speculation of how computers
will wrest the world from us stupid
humans, After all, how scary is a
computer that can't even recognize
a Jim ora Tammy-Faye?)

“With this edition, The Concise
Oxford Dictionary enters the com-
puter age.” the book-jacket notes
boust.

Are you ready for the computer
age?

BUM-BAG — Brit. collog. a small
pouch for money and other valu-
ables, on a belt worn round the
waist or hips. (A fanny-pack or hip-
sack to us colonists);
CASHPOINT — n. an automatic
machine from which customers of a
bank may withdraw cash by using a
cash card. (As in, “The cashpoint
ate my card.”);

CHADOR — a large piece of cloth

worn in some countries by Muslim.

women, wrapped around the body
to leave only the face exposed.
DOSH — n. (slang, 20th century,
origin unknown) money.
{Presumably derived due to the
escalating professionalism of ama-
teur athletics, as in the “i00-yard
dosh.”)
JOJOBA — nn. a pliant,
Simmondsia chinensis, with seeds
yielding an oily extract used in cos-
metics. (Also yielding substantial
profit for the likes of Paul Mitchell
and Vidal Sassoon.)
SHELL SUIT — n. a track suit
with a soft lining and a weather-
proof outer shell, used for leisure
wear. (Presumably, casual wear for
the computer age.)

There, now you're ready.

Here goes: “You wouldn’t

s,

1993 CAVALIER

(#1 in Canada — 3 years running)

* Anti-lock brakes
* Power door locks
* Air conditioning

* Fuel injection

» Automatic

* Cassette

* And more!

7: NEWS photo Mikes Wakefistd
ACCORDING TO the editors of the latest Concise Oxford dictionary, they have published the dic-
tionary of the 1990s, a reference book that has “entered the computer age.” New additions
include such puzziing words as bum-bag, dosh and cashpoint.

dropped her bum-bag.”
You know, ! think the computer
age won't be half bad.

suit, which is at the cleaner’s
because a woman at the cashpoint
spilled some jojoba on it when she

believe the day I had. I’m out buy-
ing a chador for a friend when I
realize I left my dosh in my shell

ITAL RETURNS

(Chev's upgraded family sedan) §
Anti-lock brakes * 3

Airbag «

Air conditioning «

Fuel injection

Automatic «

Cassette *

and more! ©

LOUR & MILEAC
SELECTION :

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HURRY ~ ENDS JAN. 3RD
ONLY AT DICK IRWIN'S, 845 MARINE DRIVE

987-52