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'Wikileaks' Enters English Language

  • Reuters, Tuesday, December 21, 2010 11:50 PM
It happened to Xerox and more recently to Google, and now "wikileaks" has joined the list of proper names that are common enough to enter the English language as their own word. Texas-based Global Language Monitor said the Web site WikiLeaks, which has publicly released thousands of confidential U.S. government documents, has been referred to by so many people that it has met the criteria of reach, depth and breadth to be considered its own word.

"Wikileaks joins a number of new media and high technology companies whose names and functions are being incorporated into the language," said Paul JJ Payack, who heads Global Language Monitor. "These include Google, Twitter and the 'friending' function of Facebook." As a word, wikileaks is spelled without the capitalized "W" or "L," but when referring to the Web site, the spelling remains WikiLeaks.

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