The Emergence of AI-Created Words and Their Impact on Language

Imagine words like Quibberfluff, Snizzlewump, and Wobblefizz. They sound whimsical, don't they? But these aren't creations from a children's book; they were actually generated by an AI, ChatGPT, when prompted to invent nonsensical terms. Last week, an English teacher named Heddwen Newton put the bot to the test, and it obliged with a variety of curious and pronounceable terms, from blibberquark to zonkledoodle, showcasing an affinity for complex compounds and polysyllables reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky'.

The Curious Case of lrtsjerk

While those words were an intentional creation, the case of lrtsjerk is particularly puzzling. This term popped up as a supposed linguistic trend involving intentional misspelling. The word, which was unknown to dictionaries and reliable news sources, had spawned various offbeat definitions across suspicious websites. For Heddwen, who tracks the evolution of English through her newsletter 'English in Progress', discovering the word's AI-generated nature signalled something worrying.

AI-generated text often has its telltale quirks: verbosity, repetition, lack of citations, and specific patterns in content layout. The proliferation of lrtsjerk, despite being unfounded, on multiple sites is a concerning sign for those who oversee the integrity of language. This phenomenon raises questions about the legitimacy and origins of new words, especially when they may be born from the limitless imagination of AI.

Human vs AI Creations

Not every nonsensical word is AI-generated, as proven by 'covfefe', the notorious typo by former President Trump. It was pure human error, yet the word took on a life of its own and found a place in popular lingo. On the contrary, is lrtsjerk a conscious creation by AI, or possibly a prank by an anonymous trickster?

The line between human and AI linguistic creations is blurring, and while some words like 'dord' from the 1934 Webster's edition were mistakes granted temporary legitimacy, today's ghost words like lrtsjerk have the potential for more alarming implications.

The Role of Language Gatekeepers

In this evolving linguistic landscape, the responsibility of gatekeepers – lexicographers, dictionary compilers, and language enthusiasts – is intensifying. It's crucial to sift through neologisms to distinguish which words carry weight and which are merely trying to 'lrtsjerk' us. As this tale unfolds, the importance of understanding the origins and authenticity of words becomes ever more apparent, ensuring that the narrative of language remains rooted in human expression, not AI invention.

language, innovation, AI