For Sarah Bean - heh heh

'Meh' - The Simpsons make word history

Stuff.co.nz | Tuesday, 18 November 2008

The phrase “meh” might denote utter boredom but it has the world of wordsmiths very excited.

The expression of indifference or boredom has earned a place in the 30th edition of the Collins English Dictionary, according to media reports.

It was chosen from a number of words suggested by the public for inclusion in the iconic dictionary.

The term is believed to have originated from an episode of The Simpsons where Homer suggests a fieldtrip and Bart and Lisa both reply “meh” and continue to watch TV.

It has since spread through the internet and has worked its way into common usage.

The dictionary’s publisher HarperCollins called for the public to submit words that were in common conversational usage but not in the English dictionary.

“Meh" beat "frenemy", an enemy who pretends to be a friend, "huggles", a combination of a hug and a snuggle and "jargonaut", meaning someone who excessively creates new words, to be included.