Some scrabble players are challenging a decision to add new slang terms to the game's official dictionary. Others are adhering to the letter of the scrabble law.

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Part Three of The Current

Scrabble - Shan Abassi

The official Scrabble dictionary is adding nearly 3,000 new words to its pages including a handful of slang terms that have some players up in arms but as word spread at this scrabble tournament in Saskatoon... there were other emotions. We aired some tape of competitive Scrabble players at a recent tournament in Saskatoon reacting to the news that the Collins Official Scrabble Words Book -- the dictionary most commonly used in international Scrabble play -- is adding words such as Myspace, webzine, Facebook and Wiki as well as some slang such as innit --which means isn't it ... thang -- a substitute for thing and grrl, spelled g-r-r-r-l. Apparently either 2 or 3 r's are acceptable.

But some of the new slang words are not sitting well with some Scrabble enthusiasts. Shan Abassi is a Director of the Mississauga Scrabble Club. He also plays competitively -- next month he'll be playing in the Canadian National Championship. Shan Abassi was in Toronto.

Scrabble - Sarah Churchwell

But according to Sarah Churchwell, there's not much we can -- or should -- try to do about the fact that languages change. Sarah Churchwell is a professor of American Literature at the University of East Anglia and she was in London, England.

Scrabble - Andrew McAfee

And we gave the last word on the subject of Scrabble to someone who has a much more fundamental problem with the game. Andrew McAfee is a research scientist at the Centre for digital business at MIT.

Related Links:

• 'Thang,' 'grrl,' and 'Facebook' added as official Scrabble words By Wency Leung - Globe and Mail
• Thang, innit and grrl added to Scrabble dictionary - The Telegraph
• English: it's a neologism thang, innit By Sarah Churchwell - The Guardian

Music Bridge

Artist: Yann Tiersen
Cd: Le Fabuleux Destin D'Amelie Poulain Film
Cut: # 1, J'Y Suis Jamais Alle
Label: Labels
Spine: 8102292

This Day in History

On this day in 1980, a failed attempt at Quebec sovereignty only gets 40% support in a referendum.

31 years later, Stephen Harper describes 40% support as "a strong, stable majority".

Other segments from today's show:

• Conservative Senators
• Attawapiskat Education