The stuffy old OED—the last word in what is and is not the English language – has decreed that <3 is a word. Or rather, the vertical version of that. It’s the first time a symbol has been included as a word. Death of the English language? Natural lexicographic evolution? Just a way to screw with QWERTY keyboard makers? All of the above, probably. And it’s not alone.
Other additions to the Queen’s native tongue: OMG (lol), banh mi (yum!), and dotbomb (wha?). It’s a major revision the OED is undergoing, with more updates and new entries coming every three months. Fingers crossed for derp! [Daily Mail]