Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Mastering The Language Of Google Plus

Google Plus
As people stream onto Google Plus (aka Google+), the question crops up: how should users describe their actions on the search giant’s new social networking service? After all, Google Plus introduced a few new paradigms to social networking when it launched in late June.

Two Google Plus standouts are the idea of grouping connections into “circles” delineated by relationships (friends, family, work, etc.) and the practice of making video-call “hangouts” with those connections. The new features mean the terms “circle” and “hangout” – one word, not two – are now verbs of a different, somewhat awkward nature.

Nine years after the debut of Friendster – and seven years after Facebook first went live – most of us are familiar with the basics of social networking. But do Google Plus’ unique features require their own lingo? (The Washington Post brought up the same question earlier this week and solicited some interesting suggestions from readers.)

Here are some suggestions I came across online. Ironically, I found them on LinkedIn, a different social networking site that may compete with Google Plus should the latter expand to include more professional networking features.

Some of these terms are tongue-in-cheek, some perhaps unnecessary but at least a few seem useful. What would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments below.


Google+ Lingo

* Circle: to add someone to ones circle

* Circlespect: not trusting someone in ones circle

* Circle-vent: to avoid placing someone in your circle (primary meaning) or to express frustration to ones circle (secondary meaning)

* Circlesized: to oust someone from your circle

* Circle-du-soleil: a masterful arrangement of ones circle/s

* Circle hopping: moving a person from one circle to the next

* Circonference: a hangout with ones circle

* Cirplexed: to be unsure which circle to add someone to

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