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In dutch "google" is a verb. It means "to search something online with a search engine".
So if Im looking something up with duckduckgo its called "googling".

Im fine with changing the meaning of words overtime, im fine with adding new words to a language. But using a company name as a new word?

Comments
  • 6
    to duckduckgoing something. 🤔
    In german we say googling something, too. haha ^^
  • 3
    @Johnni can it also be found in a dictionary?
  • 14
    I guess you have never XEROXed something...
  • 2
  • 4
    @Codex404 yes it can haha. 😂
  • 1
  • 1
    @HomeAlone wow, thats a bit worse because there already is another word for it.
  • 5
    I've heard that bing was originally called bang but the verb "banging something" didn't sound very good. Probably not true but still funny!
  • 5
    I always say either 'duckduckgo' something or 'just search engine it! '
  • 1
    Similarly, in the spanish dictionary we have the verb "tuitear" = sending something through Twitter
  • 3
    I used to say "google it" as anyone seems to do in Brasil, but I recently changed to simple "search it"
  • 7
    A lot of people say "Kleenex" when they mean "facial tissue" or "Band-Aid" when they mean "adhesive bandage." "Gatorade" for "sports drink" or "Coke" for any soda brand. It's really, really common, so the fact that "Google" now means "search online" is really a non-issue
  • 1
    @RiderExMachina but those words are not found in a dictionary and never used in The Netherlands (never heard of it myself)
  • 3
    This reminded me of my time in Peru. Things were like this:

    Me: Can I have a deodorant please?
    P: What?
    Me: Yeah, deodorant, for my armpits *makes sign*
    P: Oh! Old Spice! Yeah

    ---

    Me: Can I have a razor? For shaving
    P: Oh! Gillette! Yeah

    --
    Me: Can I have some dental paste?
    P: Oh! Colgate? Yeah

    --

    I was like, seriously? Don't you know the name of the thing but only identify it by their brand name?
  • 1
    Pretty standard in German. Paper towels are "Zewa" because they are a popular brand. Googling is also common here. "Tempos" are tissues. "Walkman" used to be the thing to listen to music on.
  • 6
    "I'm mad as fuck"
    "Yeah dude, you should devRant it"
    "Fuck yeah"
  • 2
    Words meanings get patched as a word starts getting used for something else, even if that new use is just plain wrong.

    Latin american Spanish changes a lot due to the lack of education, words are mis used and some time after that the misuse os now official. It does suck.
  • 1
    I usually tell people to "just look it up."
  • 4
    @Johnni @linuxxx 'ducking' something sounds way better imo
  • 3
    @succcubbus Ducking's for Python, I'd say "Quack it" 🤣
  • 2
    Fuck you Google.
  • 1
    @BlueNutterfly
    Cool little tidbit!

    Also, we're all glad to know you're still alive.
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