Social networking websites are not only rewriting the rules of interpersonal relationships ‘- they are rewriting the dictionary, as well. The online social networking term ‘unfriend’ was chosen earlier this month to be the New Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year. Its definition, according to Oxford, is to remove someone as your friend, or contact, on the site. The winning word, chosen annually from words heard throughout the year, must have promise and a bright future ahead of it, as it will only be chosen if researchers see some sort of long lasting capability in the term. ‘It has both currency and potential longevity,’ Christine Lindberg, senior lexicographer for Oxford’s U.S. dictionary program, said in an Oxford University Press Blog. ‘In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for Word of the Year.’ Lindberg said in the blog the word was also chosen for its novel use of the un- prefix. ‘Most ‘un-‘ prefixed words are adjectives (unacceptable, unpleasant), and there are certainly some familiar ‘un-‘ verbs (uncap, unpack), but ‘unfriend’ is different from the norm. It assumes a verb sense of ‘friend’ that is really not used (at least not since maybe the 17th century!),’ she said. ‘Unfriend has real lex-appeal.’ The word has increased in popularity alongside Facebook’s rising membership ‘- currently more than 300 million worldwide, the same as the population of the U.S. Many of the words considered this year are both technology- and Internet-savvy and stem from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The various forms of Internet lingo found on the list are words like ‘hashtag,’ the # symbol used on Twitter that makes it easier for users to find others ‘Tweeting’ about their interests, and ‘paywall’ which is a way of blocking certain parts of a website unless the visitor is or becomes a paying customer. The term ‘unfriend’ falls in same category as such words as ‘un-like,’ to dislike something on Facebook, and ‘sexting,’ the sending of sexually suggestive content via cell phone ‘- all originate from social networking or technological media.’ Just the same, acronyms such as LOL, meaning ‘laugh out loud,’ and JK, meaning ‘just kidding,’ have entered the vernacular of the millennial generation and sometimes even replace traditional ways of communicating that something is funny or a joke. Boston University students said these words, though popular, seem to only have relevance in the Internet world and don’t fit in with our everyday language. ‘Real relationships are much more complicated than those on Facebook and you can’t just ‘unfriend’ someone in life without consequences,’ College of Communication senior Kacy Carter said. ‘I don’t think it’s appropriate to use in everyday life unless you’re joking around.’ College of Arts and Sciences freshman Alex Risberg agreed. ‘The word has its place, but only if you’re using it online,’ he said. ‘I think it’s kind of weird to bring Internet words into everyday life. [It] sounds stupid. Maybe among friends, but I would never use it in a formal situation. That’d be a little ridiculous.’ CAS sophomore Joe Negash said the term is appropriate if used on Facebook. ‘If you were in a fight with a friend, you wouldn’t say ‘I’m going to unfriend you,’ though,’ he said.