THE SIGNATURE WORDS
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In addition to the words which must be there, WORD.LST contains a number of
additional words, called "signature words". These words serve several
purposes. Their inclusion distinguishes this list from competing lists. They
give the ENABLE list a certain flavor. And most important, they illustrate
an important principle, which is that the English language is too vital, too
chaotic, too *full*, to be adequately summed up by a single book, even one
of such pedigree and scholarship as MW10.

The signature words are MW10 oughta-bes, words and inflections which one or
both of the ENABLE particpants believe are worthy of recognition as bona
fide English. In many cases, such as "terraform" and "schlockmeister", there
are no other words which can adequately take their place. Some words, such
as "renormalize", "epitheliums" and "pantyhose", are well-documented by
other dictionaries. Some, such as "stabbings", "transportee" and
"birthdate", seem to have escaped the attention of all the major American
lexicographers.

Unlike most of the rest of the ENABLE package, the signature word list and
its value (if any) are completely subjective.  Mendel and I found it
impossible to completely agree on a number of words, and it would be
surprising if anyone else found themselves in full agreement with either of
us.  Is "absquatulate" a useful word, or a work of the devil? Is it possible
to take the putative existence of the plural "breaksaway" seriously?  Does
anyone actually say "bildungsromane"?  Is "unputdownable" a valuable
addition to the lexicon, or the ultimate triumph of lack of style over lack
of substance?

Whether you agree with all our choices or not, we think the list to be an
interesting illustration of the truism that the English language is just too
damn big to be adequately captured, even for a moment, in anything so static
as a dictionary, a CD-ROM, or even a "Benchmark Lexicon".



---Alan Beale