Defriend vs. Unfriend
March 27, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
At a cocktail party last night, Facebook was a topic of conversation.
I mentioned my blog and a recent posting about the defriend concept to remove someone from your circle of friends on Facebook.
Presently, defriend seems to be the preferred term in the digital zeitgeist.
A woman asked me why people don’t use the word unfriend instead.
I suppose that people will use unfriend if the situation is rather benign.
Perhaps you don’t want to read a friend’s constant updates about mundane chores. Paying bills, feeding the dog, and doing laundry don’t meet the standard of information that you want or need on Facebook. So you simply say that you will unfriend that person.
Defriend has a more appropriate feel if the situation is bothersome, annoying, or serious. For example, a constant, unsolicited, and unwanted barrage of Instant Messages and E-Mails, may cause defriending.
One can make the argument that the two words are distinct from one another without really being different.
On the other hand, an analogy may provide further insight.
When something causes you pain, it is toxic. To get rid of it, you detoxify. You don’t untoxify.
Lexicogaphers, wordsmiths, and digital trendsetters, enjoy!
david@davidkrell.com
At a cocktail party last night, Facebook was a topic of conversation.
I mentioned my blog and a recent posting about the defriend concept to remove someone from your circle of friends on Facebook.
Presently, defriend seems to be the preferred term in the digital zeitgeist.
A woman asked me why people don’t use the word unfriend instead.
I suppose that people will use unfriend if the situation is rather benign.
Perhaps you don’t want to read a friend’s constant updates about mundane chores. Paying bills, feeding the dog, and doing laundry don’t meet the standard of information that you want or need on Facebook. So you simply say that you will unfriend that person.
Defriend has a more appropriate feel if the situation is bothersome, annoying, or serious. For example, a constant, unsolicited, and unwanted barrage of Instant Messages and E-Mails, may cause defriending.
One can make the argument that the two words are distinct from one another without really being different.
On the other hand, an analogy may provide further insight.
When something causes you pain, it is toxic. To get rid of it, you detoxify. You don’t untoxify.
Lexicogaphers, wordsmiths, and digital trendsetters, enjoy!