3,384 bytes added,
12:44, 25 January 2010 This article on '''how lexicons are compiled''' was originally
edited from email messages sent by [[Jim Pate]], chair of the
[[Dictionary Committee]].
The reason that words like UQUQ, ZEN, and CUZ are not in the [[Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary]] nor in the [[Official Tournament
and Club Word List]] is that they have not appeared as lower
case, non-apostrophized, non-hyphenated, non-foreign, single-word
entries in any of the source dictionaries that were used to create
and to update these official SCRABBLE lists. The four college level
source dictionaries used to create the OSPD4 and the OWL2 were:
* Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition
* American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th edition
* Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th edition
* Random-House Webster's College Dictionary, 2000 2nd revised and updated Random House edition
Also, for the original OSPD one other source dictionary (Funk &
Wagnall's Standard College Dictionary, 1974) was one of five sources
used, and some words from earlier editions of the OSPD have been
grandfathered as explained in the [[Dictionary Committee]] page.
Since these sources are all abridged dictionaries many valid words
that are not as frequently used do not appear in them.
The best way to get words into a future edition of the Official
SCRABBLE Players Dictionary (and the Official Tournament and Club
Word List) is to convince the editors at Merriam-Webster to add
them to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary which has always
been one of the source dictionaries for the OSPD official words.
Jim Lowe, Senior Editor at Merriam-Webster, Inc. suggests sending
a dozen or so documented print usages of the proposed words to them
for their citation files. Google Books is a great way to find citations.
At that point the editors will do additional research to determine
the advisability of inclusion of the new terms into Merriam-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary.
The mailing address is:
Merriam-Webster, Inc.
47 Federal Street
P.O. Box 281
Springfield, MA 01102
When the next edition of the Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary
is done the new words that have made their way into Merriam-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary should then be incorporated into the OSPD and
thus become legal words for tournament and club play.
In international play, a similar process is followed by HarperCollins
Publishing to prepare the larger [[SOWPODS|Official Scrabble Words]]
lexicon. Comments concerning that list should be directed to the
[[NASPA-WESPA Liaison Committee]] for forwarding to the [[WESPA]]
Dictionary Committee.
As for your group using these words as you play, that's the great
thing about SCRABBLE Brand Crossword Game — if you and your opponents
agree on the dictionary or word list you want to use then you are
by all means free to do so. Of course, if you play at an NSA club
or sanctioned tournament then the word list used for adjudication
there would be the OWL2 or . (If you cannot get all of the people in
your group to allow these words in all the games you play, you might
want to suggest including them as acceptable in a certain percentage
of designated games. It could be a fun variation for your group
from time to time.)
We hope that you and your friends continue
to enjoy playing SCRABBLE Brand Crossword Game whatever word source you
choose to use.