Videogame as word

[Alex Handy]

OK, here we go, diving into what I hope will become a long and violent thread:


Videogame is not in any major dictionaries. Can you believe it?

The arguement for years has been that the term Video is far too narrow to encompass all the games that fall under the umbrella of digital gaming (excluding the very earliest of Pong machines).

But there is no single word to describe digital gaming outside of the nearly ubiquitous and universally understood "videogame."

As a single word, the origins become historic, and no longer hold sway over the meaning of the whole word. Thus, Videogame is not beholden to the word video, just as the world "subversive" does not necesarily have much to do with under, verse, or.... uhm.... seives.

Thus, the term "video game" infers the use of a Cathode Ray Tube, while the word "videogame" does not. A video game cannot be played on an LCD screen because the image is not a video. However, a videogame can be played on any 2 dimensional surface that depicts moving images.




So, I ask you, what say yee? I imagine someone's going to make the arguement that videogames are not computer games, and to you, I say premeptively: consoles are computers too. Get over it.

[Union Carbide]

Shit, bonerz!

[xahlt]

So, I ask you, what say yee? I imagine someone's going to make the arguement that videogames are not computer games, and to you, I say premeptively: consoles are computers too. Get over it.

So is an abacus.

[Ben Sones]

I chose "vibraphone," because it sounds like some sort of phone sex accessory.

[Kunikos]

Shit, bonerz!


gayyyyyyyyy

[Gordon Cameron]

I'm sorry Alex. I like to nitpick about words and grammar as much as the next guy, but I just don't care about this one. Either version (videogame or video game) is equally acceptable to me.

[Derek Meister]

Is "boardgame" found in any of those dictionaries?

I tried looking through a few of the online dictionaries and could find no references to "boardgame", but "board game" and "board-game" both are listed, along with an accurate definition. The same is true with "cardgame".

[Kyle Wilson]

Over time, compound words tend to start separate ("video game"), slip into hyphenation ("video-game") and merge together ("videogame"). I don't think that video game has been around long enough for this transition to be warranted. My opinion appears to be shared by most; "video game" gets 5.4 million hits on Google, while "videogame" gets only a tenth as many.

As jargon the word is spectacularly non-descriptive. I can't remember the last time I actually heard someone in the industry actually use the term "video game," though it seems to be the term of choice for writers outside the industry. Generally, the people who actually work on games are more specific (coin-op game, console game, PC game, Xbox game) or less specific ("game", with electronic gaming assumed to be the context).

[Tim Partlett]

Strangely enough I was having this dilemma the other day, but a search on google gave me the answer I needed: it's videogame. With over five million hits, the word is used enough to be considered a proper word, although "video game" is perfectly acceptable too. There's lots of gaming terminology in this industry, as in any industry, that isn't in the mainstream dictionary. Some words I come across every day that word spits back at me include: gameplay, replayability, respawning, modding, modder, and cutscene. I haven't completely decided on all of them yet, but the dictionary is of no help!

Over time, compound words tend to start separate ("video game"), slip into hyphenation ("video-game") and merge together ("videogame"). I don't think that video game has been around long enough for this transition to be warranted. My opinion appears to be shared by most; "video game" gets 5.4 million hits on Google, while "videogame" gets only a tenth as many.

It might have something to do with the Germanic roots of our language. In German they tend to turn any words that describes a single idea or object, into one long single word.

[Gordon Cameron]

Like Kunstenstrasserfunfstendammerhausenspielen?

[Rodge]

What's wrong with just "game"?

This might be of interest

http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3319&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=video+game

[Theodore Rex DX]

You forgot 'vidgame'. Boy am I glad that never caught on.

[Timemaster Tim]

Thus, the term "video game" infers the use of a Cathode Ray Tube, while the word "videogame" does not. A video game cannot be played on an LCD screen because the image is not a video. However, a videogame can be played on any 2 dimensional surface that depicts moving images.

Fack! No, you joke me.

We still dial telephones though I dare say that most only have number pads on their phones. I fail to see why video game must be discarded because you believe video is narrowly focused on CRTs. Video game is fine.

[Jason McCullough]

What the hell kind of poll is this? WHERE'S SHIT, BONERZ! ?

[BobJustBob]

I'm going to wage a jihad against all of you who think it is "videogame". Prepare to be purged.

[Bill Dungsroman]

What the hell kind of poll is this? WHERE'S SHIT, BONERZ! ?

No kidding. The polls that need the "Shit, bonerz!" option the most never seem to have it.

[Alex Handy]

I sincerely hope you Shitz Bonerz lovers know about http://www.jerkcity.com


it's right up yer alley.

[Thrrrpptt!]

I sincerely hope you Shitz Bonerz lovers know about http://www.jerkcity.com

it's right up yer alley.
Not really. (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8822)