Danger: Routinization Ahead
This is the first (of many, no doubt) posts that will showcase breakdowns in my everyday life. Often, it will probably involve breakdowns in my own process, because I figure it’s a safe bet that I won’t offend anybody by making fun of myself. In my HCI Project team, we joke that all should beware of my red marker. If you screw up in front of me, I’ll scribble on you with red marker and mark you as a human breakdown. I think all of us fall into that category from time to time.
On to the topic of this particular breakdown. A few months back, I determined that “routinize” wasn’t a word. I did this, in fact, because I had routinized my own “look up definition” process as follows:
- Type “define:[the word]” into Google.
- Read definition.
By that process, I was correct in my assumption. But get your red markers ready.
I originally had this discussion with my buddy Alex, and two weeks ago, he told me, “Routinize must be a word. I just heard it on NPR.” I acknowledged that it did in fact sound like a word… but… I had my doubts. Google said no.
However, not two hours ago, I was sitting in a presentation and heard an official from the City of Pittsburgh say it in a question they were asking a few of my friends. I thought, “Surely, something must be off.”
Apparently, if Google fails on a definition search, the trick is to click the “Search the Web” link. That takes you to many dictionary sites that verify: routinize is, in fact, a word.
In fairness, this breakdown should not be entirely mine. For a word that sounds as cool as routinize (just say it…), I would expect Google to have a definition loaded up and at the ready. On the other hand, the HCIer in me is disappointed that I didn’t fully explore the page and click the only link present in the center. I guess I own the breakdown this time…
Where’d my cool hover go??? This is NOT acceptable!
Comment by Chaia — May 1, 2005 @ 5:24 am
Its still there on my computer… are you sure you’re hovering over your name?
Comment by zaiss — May 1, 2005 @ 11:59 am
Nope, I guess I was hovering over your MOM’S name. Okay, you’re right, it’s working for me today. Love ya! = )
Comment by Chaia — May 1, 2005 @ 8:01 pm
I was working on a presentation, and ended up using the word “routinize.” Microsoft Office 2003 also does not recognize it as a word. Maybe I don’t own the breakdown…
Comment by zaiss — May 4, 2005 @ 8:58 pm
Hi, Zaiss. Google is not infallible. Routinize is really a word (and a cool one at that) and appears in the Oxford English Dictionary, perhaps the most reputable source for word meanings and origins. The term has been around since 1928.
Comment by Brian — February 14, 2006 @ 2:51 pm
Hi, Zaiss, I discover you site by serendipity when I was trying to find the meaning of “must be off” in the sentence: Valves for inflammable, aggresive or toxic media, must be off tensile material”. I translate English-Spanish on technical issues. I enjoyed reading your article because I love words and its meanings and so on.
I think that Breakdowns are ways to learn, but not always, because it depends of your own way of decodifying reality. Let me explain myself: is my opinion that every little thing has a tremendous amount of information not only about itself, but about the universe; however, this source of knowledge will not be available for everyone, but only to those with the required background, jeje., like someway of viewing life and facts, and an essentil ingredient it to be prepared to have a breakdown (not an intended one) as an non avoidable part of this learning process.
Comment by Víctor — March 1, 2007 @ 9:14 am