My tiny hand is squozen... from Renny

Dear Word Spy,

This is what I want to know. If I put my orange in the freezer, I say it's frozen. So if my orange is run over by a steamroller, why can't I say it's squozen?

BTW I like your blog.

from Renny

Dear Renny,

If you ask me (and in fact you have) I think you can say your orange is squozen. After all, everyone will know what you mean. And maybe if you keep saying it, other people will start saying it, and more and more and more and more and one day it will even be in the dictionary!!!!

That's how words happen you know. When a new word is born, it's called a neologism. Neologisms appear every day - I bet you can think of some words that everyone uses now that nobody even knew what they meant a few years ago. (Hmm, like blog, for example)

Of course, if you put squozen in your story for homework, probably your teacher will underline it or put a question mark. So maybe you shouldn't put it in writing for school assignments or exams just yet. But keep on saying it! I like it.

BTW glad you like my blog.

your friend, The Word Spy