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Brandy Balls Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Words That Don't Exist

I work for a newspaper supplement based in Cape Town, aimed at school children aged 7 to 9. The powers that be above me have received numerous emails on shockingly inaccurate word use in the supplements. People are in a state of outrage that we use words which do not appear in their dictionaries and it has now been brought up that I will be replaced.

Could someone please tell me whether or not these words and terms actually exist, because according to my superiors, they don't:

Practice.
Airplane.
Homophone.
Pictograph.
Acrostic Poems.

Similarly, it's been suggested that I am pushing the Eminem and P.Diddy agenda by using the word "rap" versus "wrap" in a homophones activity. Could anyone verify for me that there are several meanings of the word "rap" which do not, in fact, pertain to a form of music?

Thanks
-B-
  

Top answer

Yes, all the words cited exist and have for some time. ) My old desk dictionary lists all of them and it is nearly ten years old. Perhaps your critics need better dictionaries.

  • Yes, all the words cited exist and have for some time.
  • ) My old desk dictionary lists all of them and it is nearly ten years old.
  • Perhaps your critics need better dictionaries.
  • As for rap, yes, there are many uses that predate current music terminology.
  • "Rap" means a sharp blow or knock; it also means a rebuke or criticism.
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2 Answers
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Yes, all the words cited exist and have for some time. (Pictograph, for example, dates to 1851.) My old desk dictionary lists all of them and it is nearly ten years old. Perhaps your critics need better dictionaries.

As for rap, yes, there are many uses that predate current music terminology. "Rap" means a sharp blow or knock; it also means a rebuke or criticism. In addition, it can m
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Thanks Dr. D. I think I'm the un-flavour of the month at work. Perhaps either my superiors need newer dictionaries, or I need a new job ;-)

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