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+                           THE SIGNATURE WORDS
+                           ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ
+
+
+
+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