Petition Asks Dictionary to Add ‘Concept’ As Verb

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Ray Del Savio has launched a weblog in an effort to drum up support for getting the word “concept” added to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary as a verb. Of course, all of us in the business who’ve been using the word to describe the act of coming up with an overall ad or campaign idea have been using the word as a verb forever. Savio’s blog cites the Dictionary currently only recognizes the word as a noun and adjective.

The blog links to a petition that asks everyone to get behind its proposed addition to the Merriam-Webster listing of the word “concept.” The proposed addition is al follows:

to con cept (knspt) – co cepted (knspt-ed) – con cept-ing (knspt-ing)
v.
1. A process whereby ideas are generated for the purpose of creatively solving a problem: “The team set aside some time for concepting in order to flush out some plausible directions.”

There are 56 signatures so far. We’re all for it. What about you?

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Steve Hall

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