The search algorithm handles phrases and strings of words quite well, so for example if you want words that are related to lol and rofl you can type in lol rofl and it should give you a pile of related slang terms. The higher the terms are in the list, the more likely that they're relevant to the word or phrase that you searched for. Note that this thesaurus is not in any way affiliated with Urban Dictionary.ĭue to the way the algorithm works, the thesaurus gives you mostly related slang words, rather than exact synonyms. The official Urban Dictionary API is used to show the hover-definitions. These indexes are then used to find usage correlations between slang terms. Most often, you're probably better off writing it as "god damn it.The Urban Thesaurus was created by indexing millions of different slang terms which are defined on sites like Urban Dictionary. Here, even more strongly, I would recommend that you really listen to the character before venturing into a pronunciation spelling of the phrase. Either the D or the M will almost invariably slow you down. Unlike "dammit," with its plosive burst and second-syllable drop, "goddamnit" takes time. That said, I believe there is a reason only one of the dictionaries I consulted has an entry for "goddamnit." It is not an intuitive pronunciation spelling: It's difficult to say rapidly enough to justify the form. Why? There aren't always concrete answers when it comes to usage, but I would venture to say it's because with three words crammed into one, maintaining the correct spelling of each word makes the whole easier to read. The same Random House that lists "dammit" with two Ms spells "goddamnit" with an N, only listing "goddammit" as a variant spelling. Listening carefully to your characters will help you to best convey their voice to your readers.Īnd this brings us to "goddamnit." The only dictionary I found to list this entry was Random House Webster's. Even in moments of high emotion, his endearing grumble is better represented as two words. In playing the curmudgeonly Bones, DeForest Kelley never strayed too far from his dialectal roots in the Southern U.S. Pronunciation spelling tends to convey a rapid, informal speech style that is not always appropriate. However, you must weigh the value of using pronunciation spelling versus standard in terms of characterization and pace. Pronunciation spelling can be appropriate in writing dialogue. This phonetic element helps to explain why the word is spelled "dammit." If you are trying to render the way in which a word is pronounced, why include the silent "n" that is merely a vestige of its original Latin? I confess, when I see "damnit" in a fic, I mentally pronounce the "n" and end up with the regrettable "dam-nit." Other examples include "gonna" and "y'know." My M-W does not include an entry for "dammit" because this is a pronunciation spelling (or eye dialect) of "damn it." That is, a nonstandard spelling, often contractive, meant to indicate how the word is said aloud. There does not seem to be any difference between American and British usage for this one, as the Oxford English Dictionary spells it the same way. The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack says "dammit," and that's good enough for me! But if you want a more reputable source, Random House and American Heritage dictionaries (which reflect common usage more than the M-W) both have an entry, and they spell it "dammit." Stymied, I had to turn to a greater authority: My dictionary of choice (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition, natch!) does not have an entry that covers this. (With examples from The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Star Trek.) Callistosh65 wants to know, "How do you spell dammit/goddamnit (including for British fandoms)?" Hooray for questions about cussing!
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