A Lexicon of Neologisms.  Mikhail Epstein (Emory University)

 

Internet. Informational Technology

 

 

 

EGG n  - an abbreviation for an Electronically  Generated Group,  a trans-electronic community, such as  a smart  mob (flashmob) or bookcrossing enthusiasts? These communities emerge in electronic space and use the web to forge their social bonds, to connect and act together in real time and space.

 

In 2003, we observe the rapid emergence of EGGs that assimilate the speed and fluidity of electronic connections and disseminate them through the  societal world. These EGGs are indeed the eggs of new, trans-electronic communities

       

egger n – a member of EGG.

                                  

Do you participate in any EGG? - Yes, I am a seasoned egger.

 

 

 

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egonetics  n (ego + net + ics) - weaving a network of self-references, increasing one's presence on the internet.

 

Egonetics is different from "ego surfing" - a search of one's own name on the internet (using search engines). Egonetics is an active electronic dispersal of one's name, making links to one's homepage, entering various interactive sites and open forums. Such an ego-expansion can be done for the sake of an idea or a commercial promotion, but in the absence of ideological or professional motifs, this is a narcissistic case of egonetics.

 

egonetic  n – a person who engages in egonetics.

 

One of my colleagues uses his office hours for egonetics.

 

Jim is caring and responsive, he is not an egoist in the traditional sense, he is simply an egonetic. He is more attached to his virtual persona than to his physical existence.

 

 

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Engnet n  (English + net) – the English language sector of WWW.

 

Engnet now contains about 50 billion word occurrences whereas Runet (Russian network) only 5 billions.

 

 

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humy, or humie n  (a diminutive from human; cf. Johny, dolly, kittie, sweetie)  - an affectionate name for humans that implies their smallness and weakness;  a human being as an interlocutor and partner of  thinking machines or other creatures with a superior intelligence.  The term also resonates with "humiliated," the role humans might assume in a technosociety dominated by artificial intelligence.

 

For somebody as smart as this humy, you have to wonder why he cannot conquer death.

 

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infopause  n  (information + pause)  - a period of avoiding the use of computers, newspapers and other sources of information in order to recover from  information overload.

 

The infopause may take from several minutes to several months, depending on the gravity of the initial affliction.

 

Every business should introduce at least two five-minute infopauses during the working day. All computers and all lights are turned off. This will effectively refresh employees' ability to process new information.

 

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netify v trans (net + suffix -ify; cf. notify, stratify) – to make something net-like, to give the  quality of a net.

 

"Netify" differs from "digitize."  It does not mean to make computable, to integrate into digital networks, but rather to   introduce the qualities of electronic networks into social communications, into the world off-line and at large.

 

We are trying to netify the cumbersome structure of our working group. 

 

                                                    

netification n (net + suffix –ification; cf. notification, stratification) - the transformative impact of electronic networks on society, culture, etc.

 

The future lies in the netification of society, i. e. making it as

transparent to mind and open for communication as an electronic network.

 

                                           

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socionetics n  (social + net + suffix -icss) – a discipline that explores socially transformative effects and potentials of  electronic networks.

 

Socionetics studies so called ad hoc electronic communities and the spontaneous democracy that emerges from them, as opposed to the bureaucratic style of representative democracy.

 

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videocracy n (from Lat video, I see + Lat cratia, from Gr  kratos,  power, rule; cf. ideocracy) – the power of visual images in shaping contemporary societies; the crucial impact of television, cinema, internet, and advertising on public opinion, political affairs, market strategies, etc.

 

Ideocracy is dead, the so-called communist countries are communist no longer. Was it the power of democratic ideals or American videocracy that ended the communist utopia? Perhaps videocracy has become an indispensable part of democracy in the media age.

 

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virtonautics  n (virtual + nautics, from Gr nautikos, of ships, sailing, like in astronautics) -  experimental exploration and development of virtual worlds.

 

Now virtonautics is still in embryo, but in the future it will become as common an occupation as aeronautics and astronautics today.

 

         

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webbiage n (web + suffix iage, like in verbiage) - excessive use of web tools and design beyond those needed to present a certain content or achieve a  certain goal.

 

Why do you need all this webbiage? Simplify, simplify!

 

 

 

                           PreDictionary. A Lexicon of Neologisms