'Twerk' And 'Selfie' Get Added To Dictionary

[NelsonG]

(Miley Cyrus helps to land 'twerk' in the dictionary)

By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

"Twerk" and "selfie" are now documented for the ages. Time reports that the two terms have been officially added to the dictionary.

Twerk is described as " to dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance" while a "selfie" is "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website."

Celebrities have helped popularize both terms. Miley Cyrus' recent performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, which involved the singer gyrating on Robin Thicke, may be been invaluable in helping "twerking" hit the mainstream.

Several outlets including the LA Times even attribute the word being added to the dictionary because of Miley. Jay-Z even name-checked Miley's twerking on "Somewhere in America" with "Somewhere in America, Miley Cyrus is twerking...Twerk, Miley."

Selifies have taken off because of Instagram. Celebrities like Rihanna and Nicki Minaj have embraced the trend, especially with provocative self-images. Recently Nicki posted a topless selfie on Instagram.

Other new words added to the dictionary include "buzzworthy" and "badassery."

[url=http://rapfix.mtv.com/2013/08/28/twerk-and-selfie-get-added-to-dictionary/]View the full article[/url]