RIP Savethewords.org

There used to be a wonderful site called Save The Words, which made an effort to…yep – save words! They attempted to rescue words falling into disuse by encouraging readers to do things like naming pets after them, writing them on a poster, texting them to someone you know, having a tattoo with one (or more),  or using them at meetings. You used to be able to subscribe to a ‘threatened’ word each day.

This was an effort by an unknown organization to preserve English words and allow users to use them in everyday conversations. They were asking for pledges but not monetary ones and that simply rocked –  you got to help without even spending. Fun and easy… that’s what this site was…  You didn’t have to make drastic changes to get noticed… just start with your vocabulary and you’d helped the dying world of languages and you’d made quite a mark.

I wish there were more sites like that out there. RIP Save The Words, I miss you. However, the news is not all bad!

• The archive is here
• There is also a Facebook Group called Savethewords.org
• They are on Tumblr

Here’s the story (from their website): Each year hundreds of words are dropped from the English language.  Old words, wise words, hard-working words.  Words that once led meaningful lives but now lie unused, unloved, and unwanted.  Today, 90% of everything we write is communicated by only 7,000 words.  You can change all that.  Help save the words!  If not for yourself, then for future generations to come.  Now, you may ask, “What have future generations done for us lately?”  Well, not much.  But one day they’ll be grateful.  You never know, they may even have a word or two to say about you.  Help spread the word.

It’s being run by the Oxford English Dictionary, and everyone should know how awesome they are.  It’s free to adopt a word, too!  You have the option of buying your word on a t-shirt if you like, but if you’re poor like me, all you have to do is pledge to use the word as often as you can.