NEO-WORDS: A Dictionary of the Newest and...
NEO-WORDS: A Dictionary of the Newest and Most Unusual Words of Our Times by David K. Barnhart ($6.95, illustrated). Unlike the carefully researched definitions in “Slang U,” the explanations of contemporary terms and catch phrases in “Neo Words” are shallow and superficial. Barnhart simply lists the words and the earliest print references he could find, without adequately describing their origins. “Boom car,” he states, is “constructed by combining boom (box) with car (as in touring car or sports car ) . “ But what is the etymology of “boom box”? The entry for “Death Star,” the sun’s hypothetical malign companion, cites a reference in Discover from 1984, but fails to mention George Lucas, who coined the term in “Star Wars.” Even a subject as lightweight as popular slang warrants more serious treatment.
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