English is a language rich in vocabulary, so why do we need to invent new words?

Question

I had to look up 'feisty' in my English/German Dictionary (2002), it wasn't in my OED ( 1985).
We used to 'copy' or 'reproduce', now we 'replicate'. (A tone one or more octaves above or below a given tone; folded back upon itself; to make a replica - OED).
According to OED 'iconic' applies 'memorial statues and busts of a fixed type'.
When some one ask me how long it takes to get to work, I don't say, 'the commute is 15 minutes.'

Answer 1

There has been an example in the news over the last few months of how language can evolve. Wildfire was a weapon used against the sails and rigging of ships. When it was used, it spread quickly, so people would say that something spreads like wildfire. Now the media have decided that wildfire must mean a fire that is out of control. Fair enough I suppose as we don't have much use for wildfire any more.

Answer 2

It can be dangerous checking words in an English-German dictionary. I think that it was in Aldous Huxley's "Chrome Yellow" that the hero looked up his favourite word "carminative" and went right off it on discovering that the German word was "weintraubend".

There are several forces at work here. One is the emergence of a new generation which uses words differently. You have only to think back to people who were old during your childhood to remember that they used words which you wouldn't have used, dating from another era. Women, for example, wore frocks. I don't know when I last heard that word and its replacement, dress, is simply an existing word given an extended meaning. People listened to the wireless, now wholly replaced by the radio.

There is, too, the urge of countries which have simply inherited the English language to go their own way and invent their own idioms, which might be seen as akin to the urge of youth to develop speech differing from that of their elders. Each of those countries will, consciously or otherwise, respond to the speech patterns of the latest flood of immigrants and absorb some of their words into its language.

Then, inevitably, there are words which have to be invented to describe the many inventions which are becoming a part of our life. Phonograph, for example, gave way to gramophone, which in turn yielded to record player, which was succeeded by sound system and the numerous other means of reproducing and listening to music which are on the market today. Who, only a decade ago, had heard of an ipod?

It is touching how many of these new inventions have recourse to Greek for their names, as if to grant them a certain gravitas and authenticity. Perhaps this is the motivation which leads American English speakers to use a word like "verbalize" when the rest of us would use "say".

Language, as people endlessly point out to me when I protest, is changing. It would be comforting if we could rely on the right people to effect the change. Who exactly sits on the board of the OED? Are there any vacancies?

Answer 3

Languages have changed through mankind. As life has changed, so has the languages. Languages are flexible to what has happened in the cultures, lives etc. of our world. (I give you a simple example: cell phone or mobile phone, words that we did not have a clue of, let´s say about 20 years or so ago. I´m sure you know what I mean!)

Answer 4

Language is dynamic as aginst being static, and that is why it is alive. Language constantly evolves, and becomes, it is growing ever. New usages, words etc. shall keep coming, and some of the old ones whall wither. Ths is just the dynamism of languages.

Answer 5

Language, like culture evolves with time. New things are discovered and others are abandoned so let the language be flexible and adopt.

Answer 6

But sometimes people find it hard to express what they are saying so the new invented words can help.
Also, the time is changing; you don't want to be stuck with the same words for the life time.

Answer 7

Language is about expressing your opinion, your thoughts, your views. And as our surroundings change we evolve and so does the way of expressing ourselves - also called language.

Answer 8

one of the reasons is because of technology. years ago the english dictonary did not have the word 'computer', 'keyboard', 'robot' and many more. now, as many new technology knocking our doors, sure we need new words or vocab to call them.