Superior definition?

Mary Lowe
ENGL 1101
Dr. Hughes

In our world everyone has their own opinion about many different subjects. For this reason various outlets such as Urban Dictionary and Wikipedia have been created to foster to the human need of being heard. While these avenues of information might provide an opinion on a certain topic, how credible are they? The Urban Dictionary is composed of non- authoritative sources who simply provide the “street” definition which makes this dictionary a descriptive source. Anyone with internet access can provide a definition which means the “facts” on these sites are likely not up to par compared to a prescriptive authority such as the Oxford English Dictionary.
The Oxford English Dictionary has been composed by a number of esteemed scholars who have climbed the ladder of education toward scholastic superiority. Some though, have criticized this Dictionary by saying, “ it has become, like the English monarchy, virtually immune from criticism in principle”. The Urban and Oxford dictionaries stand as polar opposites concerning authority, but such a subjective decree regarding which one is “better” is a difficult judgment to make.
I believe that there is a time and a place for everything and I think this is no less true pertaining to these dictionaries. For example, the word “lame” has a different definition on the prescriptive and descriptive sites. The definition on the Oxford English Dictionary is “disabled in the foot or leg, so as to walk haltingly or be unable to walk”. This is the common understanding of the word which has dated all the way back to 1000 C.E. The Urban Dictionary on the other hand defines “lame” as “just plain stupid, un-original, or lifeless”. Both of these definitions are useful in different circumstances but in formal writing or speaking I would certainly opt to use the Oxford Dictionary and I would dare not obtain information from the Urban Dictionary.
In the majority of our lives we flounder about resorting to slang for various reasons such as ease, comfort and conformity. We are the Urban Dictionary and the realm above who we aspire to be is the Oxford Dictionary. Both are accepted as valid in their own circles but I, and many others, believe the standard is definitely the Oxford for it has endured through the good times and the bad; time evokes respect.