Funner is a word

[AltF4]

I had just recently gotten into this conversation in a class of mine. Long story short, the TA for the class is studying Linguistics and had a rather interesting perspective on the role of grammar in language. I found it intriguing and perhaps controversial so here's kind of how it went down.



"Funner" is a word. It is. A word is an atomic module of language that has an understood meaning. If I were to use it in a sentence: "Spring break sure is funner than being in class." everyone understands the meaning of word. It conveys a specific and distinct meaning.

Far too many people misunderstand grammar completely, and unfortunately most of these people wind up teaching 4th grade English classes. You see, language is a descriptive science, not a prescriptive one. You can teach someone "how most people speak a commonly understood language", but you cannot teach "the way it should or must be done" in some inevitably arbitrary way.

You see, everyone has their own language, or their own dialect to be more precise. There is no single "English Language". Just like there is an enormous difference between speaking Spanish in Mexico as opposed to speaking Spanish in Spain.

Do not be a grammar Nazi! Almost every word we have has been *******ized from some other word in some other language. Virtually all of them come from some idiot mispronouncing some word and it "sticking". That's just how language evolves.

Are there any grammar Nazi's in the house that seem to think otherwise?

 

[JesiahTEG]

I just go by the words in the dictionary. If we didn't have a defined "language" there would be no reference as to what words to use and or use them properly.

 

[JesiahTEG]

I have no...idea...wtf just happened...All I did was click post...


Ok to anyone that didn't see, I just posted 12 posts, all the same thing...When I edited my last one, they all went away...weird. And now my post count has risen by 12...

 

[RDK]

I have no...idea...wtf just happened...All I did was click post..

Welcome to Smashboards.

And to the OP: I see what your'e saying, but I'm too much of a grammar nazi to let people go around saying "funner" IRL. Most people who use the word funner are using it without the mindset you described, and are pretty much ignorant of human speech.

A huge problem with today's world is that people can't communicate correctly.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

"Funner" is not a word according to the official "real words handbook" for "competitive linguistics" (aka Scrabble)... but no one "speaks competitively". Lawlz!

I agree. "Funner" is a word. In fact, AltF4, I use that argument on grammar nazis all the time. They say to me, "'Funner' is not a word." I always respond, "Hm, yet you understood me perfectly." They roll their eyes and move on, but I love those moments. If you understood, communication took place. There are no points being tallied. Even "ain't" is in the dictionary now (though often flagged with "informal" or something of the like).

 

[AltF4]

Competitive speaking! lol! I'd bette not mention that to my friends, it would be a never ending battle.

JesiahTEG: The dictionary, eh? And just what lofty throne does Merriam Webster sit on that she can decree what is and is not a part of MY speech? Plenty of words that convey a clear and understood meaning are not in the dictionary, and plenty of words that ARE in the dictionary are old, unused, unknown, and neglected.

Furthermore, this is not limited to just words, but grammar as a whole. Grammar itself is largely unnecessary and arbitrary. Take the following for example:

"Car, Crash, Hospital"

That is not a "grammatically correct" English sentence and yet it conveys a meaning to the reader (or listener). Some event occurred (car crash) which led to some of the people involved being hospitalized.

The worst offender of all must be ending sentences in prepositions. What could this rule possibly be for? (/irony) This is just a stupid rule without any purpose.

 

[IWontGetOverTheDam]

I asked my english teacher about this once. She saidit is a word, technically, but that doesn't mean it's correct to use it. I honestly have no idea what she meant by that.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I asked my english teacher about this once. She saidit is a word, technically, but that doesn't mean it's correct to use it. I honestly have no idea what she meant by that.

I'll never understand that "it's not correct to use" bit that people rant about.

"Funner" is the wavedashing of talking.

 

[Mediocre]

I don't have a problem with people saying "funner", but I think it sounds pretty stupid.

About the "car, crash, hospital" example you presented, I agree that it's comprehensible. However, I don't think it expresses its meaning as fully or as clearly as a normal sentence. It makes me stop and think about what you just said, rather than allowing instant understanding on the part of the listener.

In speech, clarity and wording can be almost as important as the underlying meaning of each sentence. There's nothing wrong with forgoing these particular qualities of language, but I doubt that doing so will do you any favors socially.

EDIT: Of course, this is all subjective. I know there are some people who are bothered when others use "who" when they should use "whom", or end a sentence in a preposition. However, I think the majority of people won't want to talk to someone who goes around saying things like "car, crash, hospital."

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Mediocre, you really ought to L-cancel your humor once in a while.

 

[Mediocre]

Mediocre, you really ought to L-cancel your humor once in a while.

Mmmm.

I have no idea what this means.

 

[IceEmblem]

I really love this concept, but still it just makes you sound unintelligent, even if it is a word.
OT: Buzz, I really love it how you can fit moves from SSBB into almost every situation.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Mmmm.

I have no idea what this means.

You casual linguist! n00b!

But seriously, I understand what you are saying. There is a time and place for proper speaking (job interviews being a big one). People just overreact to improper usage. I only have a few that bother me.

"The reason is because..." -- ugh, epic phail
"You will loose." -- And you will tighten?
"Me to." -- You to where?

 

[cheifrocka]

It has a perceived meaning but it's incorrect language. Just like ghetto speak, it's understood but is it the right thing to teach to our children, those who will be carrying on the language to future generations? Slowly but surely it becomes convoluted and changes entirely. Not that I'm against that, I just think this matter is too subjective to have a definite answer.

 

[AltF4]

That exactly what language does! It evolves!

Words naturally change meaning, get created, or go into disuse. This is quite normal and natural. You do it every day whether you know it or not.

In fact, a lot is changing in language due to the emergence and popularity of the internet and other forms of telecommunication. A strongly growing trend is to create "text message" style speech.

It's not quite so dramatic as saying "iirc" in normal conversation (although I do). It happens because people get used to communicating in short and concise terms, and gradually begin to do so in spoken language as well.

Don't be elitist. What makes you think that English is perfect the way it is? The language evolves by natural selection. Words and phrases that are disliked are discarded, while useful and meaningful ones are made to persist.

 

[cheifrocka]

I actually agree with you, I was just trying to play devils advocate somewhat. I grew up in a place where people don't speak perfect english. So yeah, though I'm an english minor and write and read a lot, I say "homies" and things of that nature. Makes for kind of an entertaining word pallete actually, XD.

 

[Zero Beat]

According to the latest dictionary, funner is an 'informal' derivative of 'fun.' Not disagreeing with you, in fact, I see where you're going with it. However, I usually say 'more fun than' instead of funner, I don't know why.

I won't give a conclusive stand here because I'm no English major but unless the rest of your essays were 7-9's on an AP exam, would you really risk putting "funner" instead of the latter(a formal way of describing the event)?

Although, I guess it's excuseable in a regular conversation. Maybe:|

 

[AltF4]

Yes, all words have an appropriate context. There are plenty of words and phrases that you'd use in an AP exam but not in normal speech. Does that make those 'fancy' items not words? No. Having a defined context in which the word is meaningful and appropriate only makes it more of a word.

(But I know you guys are just playing devil's advocate. I get it)

 

[WuTangDude]

Yeah, I think it should be considered a word. I don't think there's any grammatical errors to adding the "er" suffix to fun (if there is, then fill me in). Kinda weird how it never was considered a word, huh?

 

[Mic_128]

That exactly what language does! It evolves!

English is evolving! Da na na na na na. Your English evolved into an Englash!

As long as it sounds right and doesn't make me need to aactually think what it means (Such as the Car, crash, hospital. I thought a car crashed into the hospital) I'm fine with it, though funner sounds odd in speach to me.

 

[Caturdayz]

English is evolving! Da na na na na na. Your English evolved into an Englash!

lol!
_

I beleive that as long as the meaning is clear you can convey your message anyway you like. I personally do not say funner but I do not make a big deal about it when people do.

 

[Surri-Sama]

I agree to a point but there has to be a definite line that you can cross because it goes from Funner to, Funnerist, then to something totally off the wall like Funneristism Slowly of course, but following the logic ALtF4Warrior laid out this would be what English slowly turn into

 

[Mic_128]

Funnerist, heh. That's hilarier than Funner.

 

[Caturdayz]

That is one hole in AltF4's logic. If everyone just started using their own words, the language would start to fall apart... It would get pretty difficult to have a conversation with someone XD

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

That is one hole in AltF4's logic. If everyone just started using their own words, the language would start to fall apart... It would get pretty difficult to have a conversation with someone XD

First off, everyone DOES use their own words. That's why we threw them into other countries.

Second, people rarely use a radically new word on someone casually. They tend to use a logical derivative. I remember using the word "varietize" on my friend once. The word does not exist, but applying general English principles implies that the word means "to generate variety" or "to cause variance" (since the word consisted of "variety" and the "-ize" suffix).

Also, when I was young, I would use the word "conversate" a lot. I didn't know about the word "converse", and I was just backtracking the word "conversation". XD

 

[Surri-Sama]

First off, everyone DOES use their own words. That's why we threw them into other countries.

Second, people rarely use a radically new word on someone casually. They tend to use a logical derivative.

This maybe true where you live but around here, people do this a LOT! and i mean a LOT (see capitals?) maybe its because they have the same rationlization or maybe its because Newfies are wierd, but i still think even if it is gradual, it would definitly let ENGLISH slide away and become "Speakasyoupleasewedontcareanymoreish"

 

[Caturdayz]

Alright... But entirely new words are sometimes entered into our language.

Such as:

Assassinate: William Shakespeare came up with this word based on Islamist military sect from the eighth century. How many people would be able to put that together?

Bootylicious: Is now in the Oxford dictionary. One could take this term to mean a couple of different things. Delicious treasure? If you were a pirate XD. The term actually refers to Delicious Buttocks but the word was made out of seemingly thin air.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Wow, AltF4, wut hav u dun heer? From funner to philosophical linguistics discussion...

 

[Surri-Sama]

Wow, AltF4, wut hav u dun heer? From funner to philosophical linguistics discussion...

hah well in order to have a good debate youve got to explore every aspect of it

And about "Bootylishious" i think this is the dumbest thing ever! Gangster should have its own language to ruin and make a fool of =.=

 

[Caturdayz]

I agree with you Sirhc, but it is now a recognized word in the English language.

 

[SU_Remo]

AltF4, you have a certain creative, avant-garde thinking when it comes to language. I understand the reasoning, but I don't see your point. "Far too many people misunderstand grammar completely"? Who're you to define what is language is or isn't? I agree with you in that language is constantly evolving. You can see that clearly in the ever-changing encyclopedia of slang. But, there are rules set in place for proper grammar, speech and communication. There's no way you can run around saying "funner" without sounding like an idiot. Sure, your meaning might come across, but we've been taught "funner" isn't appropriate. And what's so bad about that?

What are trying to say here? That you disapprove of convention so much that you're going to say whatever you want and condemn anyone who corrects with the rules that they've been taught since they were five years old. "Don't be elitist"? You're the only one being elitist when you say "Soccer is so funner than football." and someone says "Hey, that's incorrect." And you wag your finger, "Hah! But you understood me, didn't you! Don't belittle me, Grammar Nazi!" There's a reason why they would roll their eyes and walk away because people have better things to do deal with someone with such a need for self-satisfaction. That's the only way you can describe someone who needs to pick fights with people who just belief what everybody has been taught in school.

Every grammatical rule isn't set in stone; I'll agree with that. I'm sure I messed up plenty of stuff in the post alone. And I've been known to end my sentences with prepositions. But the preposition example is used incorrectly by so many people, very few people have an issue with it. That's not the case with "funner" and nothing's going to change that for a very long time, if at all. Oh, and your "Car, Crash, Hospital" example is silly. What's the point of having words if we aren't going to use them to express ourselves as best as possible. By your logic, that phrase could mean "I was in my car, watching Oscar-award winning movie Crash while driving by a children's hospital." o_O

That exactly what language does! It evolves!

Words naturally change meaning, get created, or go into disuse. This is quite normal and natural. You do it every day whether you know it or not.

In fact, a lot is changing in language due to the emergence and popularity of the internet and other forms of telecommunication. A strongly growing trend is to create "text message" style speech.

It's not quite so dramatic as saying "iirc" in normal conversation (although I do). It happens because people get used to communicating in short and concise terms, and gradually begin to do so in spoken language as well.

Don't be elitist. What makes you think that English is perfect the way it is? The language evolves by natural selection. Words and phrases that are disliked are discarded, while useful and meaningful ones are made to persist.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

KingReMO, you defend convention like it is completely perfect. The truth is, the grammar nazis refuse to adjust to modern times. I don't think people who say "funner" sound dumb. That is just your opinion (along with other grammar nazis). Have you seen the words that our language adopts? Even Google made it into the dictionary as a correct/normal term. "I googled that the other day." Why is "funner" still left out in the cold when it is a socially acceptable term?

And your "car, crash, hospital" interpretation is merely an attempt to humiliate AltF4. I seriously doubt you would use your own interpretation if you heard those three words in that order (unless you explicitly stated you were giving directions or something).

 

[SU_Remo]

I don't have a problem with people using new words or phrases in everyday speech. I already stated my support in slang, which is what your Google example is. It's fine to use that and has been accepted in society because it's the only clear and concise way to say "to search for something on Google". But, years of education and several teachers, author, textbook writers, what have you, have deemed "funner" as grammatically incorrect and there are other ways to say that. You can't put it in the same respect as "googled". When it comes to things like this, majority rules. That's why "googled" is okay and "funner" isn't considered correct.

You say that my argument is just my opinion. Though, I still believe I share the same viewpoint with an overwhelming majority. Now, I don't have any charts or graphs to prove this, but be my guest to present what you are saying as anything more than just an opinion shared by very few. Only difference is I can back up my beliefs were textbooks and documents by teachers, professors, and linguistic experts; and their judgment on this topic matters more to me than, well , yours. Speaking of opinion, Buzz, your problem with "The reason is because" is exactly why people have a problem with "funner". You can't condemn one thing but support something, that in essence, is exactly the same.

And don't call me a grammar nazi. I don't care how people talk. But, I'll debate an argument that just comes across as "I'm right 'cuz I wanna be." And I wasn't humiliating anybody with my Car Crash Hospital thing. I was merely displaying the holes in AltF4's argument (which I wasn't the first person to point it out.)

 

[solesoul]

Buzz, you said that thinking people who say funner sound dumb is an opinion, but your following statement that funner is a socially acceptable term is also an opinion. You might think its acceptable because you say it in your circle of friends, but I could easily say the opposite because no one in my circles says it, and I've rarely seen it used in a serious context in any kind of mass entertainment (newspapers, television, movies, radio, etc.).

On the "car, crash, hospital" subject, AltF4 is right on two parts: it conveys a message and is not a sentence. If you heard someone say that, you would get the message, yes. However, people don't speak that way because it leaves so much unanswered. Who was in the crash? I might care more about one person in a crash than I would another in a crash, and if you had used a proper sentence, I'd be able to give the appropriate emotional and verbal response. When was the crash? You could be talking about a crash that resulted in a hospital stay 2 years ago, the situation is over now and If I jumped into the car and raced to the hospital, my reaction wouldn't be appropriate. It also wouldn't be appropriate if I just stayed home during the victims entire hospital stint. Was there a crash? How do I know if there was a real crash that left real people in the hospital, or if you're just trying to tell me about an awesome episode of your favorite tv show? Context clues would come into this, but again, a full fledged sentence would have done the job much more efficiently.

This is why languages have rules. Have you ever heard a child with parents who speak different languages? I have. They routinely mix up the rules for the different languages until they get older. You may understand that a child is asking for a "red ball", but you'll still be bloody confused when he asks for a "ball red". I've heard that example before, when two of my Dominican and American friends had a child, that child screwed around with the rules of Spanish and English for YEARS. We understood him, yeah, but that has nothing to do with the fact that his sentence structure was incorrect.

The Google example is perfect for this. Google has always been a nonsense word in the English language. As soon as that search engine launched, Google became a word, specifically a noun. Now that Google is the most used search engine, Google has become a verb. The word still follows all of the rules of English, even though its new. Funner does not. Fun is a noun, and the reason that you believe you can say funner is because you believe that it is an adjective. You, along with most, don't see anything wrong with that, because of how popular "funnest" is, but funnest is also wrong. Yes, we will understand what you mean when you say "funner" and "funnest", but we understand because we see what you are doing wrong. The correct way to say those two are "more fun" and "most fun" respectively. Following, and expecting others to follow, the rules of English isn't being a "grammar nazi", its simply expecting everyone to keep our language in such a way that everyone can understand. Bringing up slang is not a viable argument, because its almost by definition an incorrect use of the language. The evolving language argument holds water though, because the fact that funnest has proliferated so far into everyday language shows that people are making the jump from using fun as solely a noun, and are using it as both a noun and an adjective. However, that switch hasn't been made yet, so funner is still wrong.

Plus, its not conducive to the debate to come into it thinking that anyone who disagrees with you is a "grammar nazi". Plenty of people know that funner is incorrect without knowing anything about grammar. Despite how much I just posted, I don't know next to nothing about no grammer son, and you'd best recognize 'fo I have to come up in here and straight stomp on some fools.

 

[6footninja]

I agree, if its understandable it should be considered a word. Not just by the people who understand it truely is, but if were going to define a word as acceptable or not by the masses, we outta do it the right way. It's probably only a matter of time until that finally happens and we may just see "funner" in the dictionary.

 

[6footninja]

Who're you to define what is language is or isn't?

If we are going to use that example then it is clearly double-sided. In that case, who is ANYONE to judge what language is or isn't. Its simply everyone doing what they've been accustomed to doing for so long.
'

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

You guys are pointing out rules to a language that has more exceptions than any language except Finnish.

 

[AltF4]

Wow, this thread picked up! I didn;t expect a grammar thread to be so popular, lol!

The "Car, Crash, Hospital" example is just an illustration as to how grammar is not a necessary component to conveying meaning. It's not even the best example. A better one would be this:

Imagine being in a country where you do not speak the native language. The only word you know is "bathroom" in their language. By using a little bit of body language and saying "bathroom" in a worried sort of tone, you can convey the clear message "I am not from around here and do not speak your language, yet I am in need of a restroom."


My original point is that everybody has their own language. There is not one unified one. The purpose of grammar is to try to unify these languages as best as possible so as to promote effective communication. But it is a descriptive science not a prescriptive science.

I take issue when people try to enforce arbitrary and pointless grammar rules. Everybody understands the meaning of the word 'funner'. And it is even more clear in context. However, breaking good rules that are are used to prevent ambiguity or confusion perhaps needn't be done.

 

[Hiemie]

It's a word, it's just not one of those official dictionary words.

 

[Caturdayz]

Google actually was word in the English language prior to the search engine... True it wasn't used however it was existent none the less...

Google: A 1 followed by 100 0's