About Our Relationship…
Ashley Berman | 02-22-08I just want to know where I stand with “us”.
When we first met, there were some awkward formalities. I wasn’t sure what words I could use around you. I initially felt inclined to speak of you only by your proper name, the “World Wide Web”. It took some quality time and getting to know you before I could let “www” flow easily. Now I even throw in playful banter like “internets” and “the interweb”. Once we were over the first hurdle we quickly skipped past “electronic mail” and even “E-mail” to settle on “email” without a flinch. Other terms soon followed falling into that comfortable pace; printout, online, offline, etc. We were on a roll.
That is, until an office discussion about “Web site” v. “web site” v. “web-site” v. “website” set those old doubts and jitters creeping back in. Was I presumptuous to automatically take our familiar path of “website” without thinking twice? I mean, I feel like our familiar pet names should be considered the primary acceptable form. With my confidence slightly shaken, I needed some justification.
All geek-core romantic net-lovin’ ways aside, there has definitely been a gray area in our relationship with the internet and its neologistic influences. How far have we come? Where do we stand? I started asking around:
-www.Dictionary.com (The Unabridged version, mind you) prefers you use “Web site” but will also accept “web site” and “web-site”. No love here. The American Heritage Dictionary feels the same way. Old boys’ club-ish? Perhaps. (Ironically, however - Dictionary.com has this Usage Note to offer: The Transition from World Wide Web site to Web site to website as a single uncapitalized word mirrors the development of other technological expressions which have tended to take unhyphenated forms as they become more familiar. Thus email is gaining ground over the forms E-mail and e-mail, especially in texts that are more technologically oriented. Similarly, there is an increasing preference for closed forms like homepage, online, and printout.)
-The American Heritage Science Dictionary is sitting on the fence with the primary entrance reading “website or Web site”. We call copout.
-WorldNet (via Princeton University) and The Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing go full force with “website” as the primary term.
(All these dictionary references coming from one source, www.dictionary.com).
So far, its a tie game but I’m dictionaried out at this point and start to look for camaraderie via other sites and blogs.
It turns out there was a flare of arguments around 2003 surrounding the subject, so we recap with the slightly out dated Debbie Wiel (http://www.wordbiz.com/newsletter/websitespelling.html). Debbie seems like a friendly lady, which is probably why she fails to take a clear stance on the issue. A survey of her subscribers show that 65% preferred the familiar “website” while 35% chose the proper from “Web site”. Unlike her logo (email us Debbie! We can help!), Debbie’s legions seem fairly forward thinking. Perhaps that is why she decides to bring in some formal reinforcement via Norman Goldstein, editor of the AP Stylebook who responded with this quote from 2003:
“Style,” in the sense we’re talking about, really means a preference (in spelling or punctuation or capitalization or usage) when there is a choice to be made. AP made the choice of “Web site” for what we thought were very good, language-based, reasons. Others are free to use their preference - as long as it is clear to a reader and consistent.
However, none of us can claim to create a “new language,” for the Internet, or elsewhere. (Every generation of teenagers, for example, comes up with its own “language,” but it fades quickly into oblivion.) More creative writers than I have said - wisely - that “usage will push new meanings into currency no matter how many authorities hurl themselves into the path of change.” (Pssst Norm - how long does quickly fading into oblivion usually take?)
Though the quote is from 2003, under the FAQ/Ask The Editor page (http://www.apstylebook.com/ask_editor.php) the question pops up a few times more recently and is answered in approximately the same manner.
Tom McKay also sends his AP love (http://www.mainecreative.com/2007/05/if-web-site-is-two-words-shouldnt.html) but the folks at WebmasterWorld don’t buy into the formal as easily (http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum9/7252.htm).
I still don’t feel satisfied with what I’ve found and I’ve got to admit that my sense of security has faltered. I do what every confused partner does - I call on the advice from a couple of my two closest & most reliable friends: Wikipedia & Google.
Wikipedia starts the conversation with “A website (alternatively, web site or Web site)” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Website). With our loving term taking place as the primary form my heart stops its relentless nervous patter. Thanks Wiki!
Google?
A quick search for “web site” brings back 1,830,000,000 results while “website” brings back 2,650,000,000 results. For the heck of it I search ‘web site v website’ and get back a quick and confirming “Did you mean: website v website”.
+Confidence Returned+
Sure, the journalists and editors have their way with formality - but it appears that the intimacy of our relationships is becoming widely accepted with the masses. Does a popular vote matter ‘round here? Maybe the only thing that matters is how we feel about each other. I vote for us and all the lovey dovey neologistic terms that come along with a burgeoning relationship. With that, I vow to keep referring to you the way I feel like I should - website. It just feels right. This is the way it should be.
Love on.
