Scrabble dictionary adds a bunch of two-letter words

By John Teti  |  August 4, 2014 | 9:10pm
Aux Features Games

Earlier this year, Hasbro invited players to stick some bullshit word into the official Scrabble dictionary, and “geocache” was the dumb word that they chose (or, to be more accurate, it was the dumb word that a bunch of ballot-stuffing geocaching enthusiasts chose). Since it’s an eight-letter word that requires both of the game’s “C” tiles (or a blank), “geocache” is practically useless in Scrabble. But as the Associated Press reports, more significant changes to the game’s lexicon will be on offer when a revised edition of Merriam-Webster’s official Scrabble dictionary comes out next week.

The Webster folks say that 5,000 words have been added in this update, the most notable of which are four two-letter words: te, da, gi, and po. Because two-letter words are an essential part of any decent Scrabble player’s plan of attack, any amendment to the list of acceptable twofers means a significant change in strategy. “Te” in particular—described by Merriam-Webster as a variant of the musical scale note “ti”—is bound to open up a lot of possibilities for players since the letters involved are so common.

Other words that are newly authorized for use in the game include chillax, frenemy, funplex, jockdom, and selfie. In essence, any word that fills you with the urge to punch someone will now be legal in Scrabble.

 
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