The word is: URB!
In yesterday’s post, Goffman-esque Response Cries: Is Sha! the New Duh?, we discussed how words are invented by a culture and how their expressive utterances provide meaning in various contexts. A new word — URB — was invented yesterday to help describe our Urban Semiotic phenomenon of minds:


Okay, we have invented a word. Now we need to better embed it in our culture beyond this blog. How can we best do that together? There are several ways:
Index It
Use the internet to spread the definition of the word.

The main reason
I am writing this URB article today instead of relying on yesterday’s
fun is to cement the URB idea here. Today’s post has URB in the title.
URB appears several times in lots of sentences. Search Engines will
find this official post on URB and index it and forge the meaning to
this blog:
“URB indicates insight and intelligence found on the Urban Semiotic blog!”

Spread the word here and abroad. You may use URB as your Avatar and you may download the 80×80 pixel version here.
Write a blog post and then Trackback to this article — and please be
sure to use the precise Trackback URL for this article so it will
count:
http://urbansemiotic.com/2006/09/15/urb-is-the-word/
You will know your Trackback was successful when the link back to your site appears at the end of this article!
We also have a new URB Reference Page you may read and link.

Also, leaving lots of comments on this article will push up its innate popularity in the Search Engine returns!
Do you have any ideas how to spread URB? Please share your ideas for ways to insinuate URB!

Swag It

You might decide to wear the URB semiotic
and drink from its divine mug! You don’t need to do any other selling
other than wearing the word and swallowing the stuff. You might also
get an URB tattoo and bind your flesh forever to the ideals of this blog!

Response Cry

You must use URB in everyday conversation to interject a response to friends, foes and family:
“Yo, Urb!”
“Heya, Urb!”
“Urb me!”
We’re sure you’ll think of better others.

Language

The best way to embed URB in the modern mind of culture is to form a
language around it and then put it into play across the world. You can
even interject a single-word URB-ism into a normal English sentence
just to keep the URB vibe alive for those who are not yet totally
onboard with us.
URB: The Language — was invented yesterday and several people were
confused how to write, speak and read URB.
URB class is now in session as we school you in the way of URB!

1. Writing URB: Writing URB has three simple rules. The first
rule is “urb” — always written in lowercase — is always inserted
after the first two letters of any word, even words that are only two
letters, and then the remaining letters of the word are continued if
there are any. The second rule is one-letter words are never URB-ed.
The third rule is to first type out your sentences in English and then
go back and URB-ify the words with inserted “urb”s until you are
finished. That is a much easier method for writing URB than trying to
write it in real time.

2. Speaking URB: The “urb” in URB-ology is always voiced in
one syllable as “urb” or “herb” or “errrb” but never as its parts:
“u-r-b” is never acceptable.
NOTE: Never refer to “URB” as “The URB” because the “the” gives a totally different meaning to our URB intent.

3. Reading URB:
We understand reading URB can be a challenge and we feel for you. The
only way to read URB well is to write URB even better. Practice URB and
URB will never play you. Here is a color-coded self-test we have
created to show you how URB is translated from Proper English. For
those experienced in the way of URB we have typed the test in our Urban
Semiotic font to challenge your image-as-word perception abilities:

 URBspeak is the Word!

Can URB University be far behind?
Orurb shurbould thurbat beurb: “URurbB Unurbiversity?”

43 Comments

  1. Haurbts ofurbf Daurbvid!!! Leurbt’s seurbal thurbe deurbal!
    Lourbng liurbve “Urbology!”
    Iturbs aurbn exurbcellent waurby turbo piurbss peurbople ourbff!!! Plurbanning turbo wrurbite murby neurbxt paurbper iurbn urbology!

  3. Heurbh! 😀
    Thurbts a tyurbpical murbe iurbn a juurbilant mourbod! Veurbry seurbldom courbmes ouurbt!
    Onurbly wiurbth a courbre grurboup ourbf frurbiends!!!
    Thurbere iurbs a giurbrl whurbo is inurbcredibly fuurbnny and churbirpy unurbder thurbe courbver ourbf thurbe tyurbical seurbrious imurbage!!!

  5. I’d like to suggest a line of chewing gums be added to the store.
    – Buurbbbleicious –
    I can envision the teens now popping their gum as they lean against cars saying, “Urb!” to passerbys.
    Blog post is on it’s way!

  7. Gourbod afurbternoon Daurbvid.
    Thurbank yourbu fourbr thurbe clurbass.
    Thurbank yourbu fourbr thurbis neurbw wourbrd.
    Haurbve manrbnaged tourb dourb thurbe trurbackback.
    Caurbn I gurbo hourbme nourbw asurb myurb heurbad acurbhes?
    Pleurbase teurbll meurb iturb isurb nourbt courbmpulsory tourb taurblk inurb ururbb alurbl thurbe tiurbme!
    Spurbellchecker Pleurbase !

  8. I dourbn’t taurbke muurbch turbo burbe haurbppy…
    A gourbrgeous sunrise, a clurbear blurbue sky, a meurblodious biurbrd…thurbat’s alurbl!
    I knurbow I dourbn’t drurbive a Feurbrrari riurbght nourbw –buurbt I dourbn’t frurbet ovurber it – I knurbow I wiurbll – sourbme daurby! 😀

  9. Nicola!
    Please stick around. Some might be in need of tutoring.
    😀
    I will look for your Trackback!
    Yes, please speak at least one URB word a day: It will help keep the wourbrld caurblm because everyone will be trying to figure out what everyone else is saurbying!
    :mrgreen:
    I wish we had a way to URB-ize comments and posts here. There’s a WordPress plugin out there that will do it for Pirate Speak. Why not URB-talk?

  11. Plurbanning turbo wrurbite a “lourbve leurbtter” in ururbbology!!! 😀
    Fourbrgot turbo adurbd onurbe mourbre iurbn thurbe liurbst – A sturbraight “A”
    Iurbf yourbu caurbn’t apurbpreciate thurbe smurball thurbings iurbn liurbfe thurben whurbat’s thurbe meurbaning ourbf liurbfe? Asurbpiring turbo burbe a “sturbatue” one day? Anurbd beurbing pourboped ourbn burby a flurbying crurbow?
    Rourbmance is fuurbn…iurbf yourbu caurbn fiurbnd iurbt iurbn thurbe miurbddle ourbf nourbwhere…yourbu dourbn’t neurbed sourbmething taurbngible turbo burbe rourbmantic… 😀

  12. I amurb suurbrprised thurbe Akurbismet Spurbam Fiurblter haurbsn’t thurbrown alurbl ofurb ouurbr courbmments inurb Spurbam Jaurbil byurb nourbw, Kaurbtha! I guurbess iturb’s waurbiting fourbr Churbris tourb sturbart pourbsting.
    😀
    URurbB-spurbeak isurbn’t courbnsidered Spurbam! Yaurby!
    Wiurbll yourbu beurb adurbding URurbB tourb yourbur CVurb asurb anurbother laurbnguage maurbstered?

  13. Hi David,
    Urb is the word, is the word that you heard
    It’s got groove it’s got meaning
    Urb is the time, is the place is the motion
    Urb is the way we are feeling
    I’m going to have Frankie Valli’s Grease in my mind all day now because of your “Urb is the word” title. 🙂
    I’d try to write some urb-onics, but I’m waiting for an extension to add to my Firefox browser that will do all of the heavy lifting. 😉

  14. Also, I know if I try to write anything in Urb Bad Behavior, Askimet and Moderation will kick in and grab anything I post!

  15. Chris!
    I love it you have made the Grease and URB association!
    Yes, Katha and I are waiting for your first 100% URB post so we can watch Akismet blow its stack!
    :mrgreen:

  16. The first rule is “urb” — always written in lowercase — is always inserted after the first two letters of any word, even words that are only two letters, and then the remaining letters of the word are continued if there are any.
    The second rule is one-letter words are never URB-ed.
    I’murb suurbrprised hourbw eaurbsy iturb isurb tourb reurbad inurb urb!
    Weurb shurbould dourb sourbmething reurbally suurbbversive anurbd trurby tourb geurbt Frurbench spurbeakers tourb sturbart usurbing urb!
    Leurbt’s meurbss upurb Quurbebec!
    Leurbt’s     urb Paurbris!
    Leurbt’s courbrrupt Daurbkar!
    Hourbw lourbng wiurbll iturb taurbke beurbfore thurbe Acurbadémie frurbançaise frurbeak ouurbt?
    Viurbva laurb frurbançaise!

  18. Hiurb Churbris!
    Weurb neurbver unurbderstood prurbying1’s courbmplaint aburbout URurbB giurbving hiurbm a heurbadache! URurbB maurbkes ouurbr heurbadaches gourb awurbay. Iturb’s ouurbr EYurbES thurbat URurbB huurbrts!
    😀
    I amurb alurbl fourbr suurbbversion! Kaurbtha leurbd usurb thurbere wiurbth heurbr inurbvisible cuurbrsing tourbday! Gourbsh daurbrn heurbr alurbl tourb biurbts!
    I thurbink URurbB isurb tourbo sourbphisticated fourbr thurbe Frurbench. I thurbink weurb shurbould keurbep iturb FRurbOM thurbem, acurbtually, beurbcause thurbey miurbght ruurbin iturb anurbd weurb’ll haurbve tourb caurbll Frurbench Frurbies URurbB Frurbies orurb sourbmething.
    Weurb agurbree puurbblishing yourbur cheurbat sheurbet waurbs awurbkward anurbd inurbdefensible buurbt whurbo caurbres? Nourb onurbe isurb reurbading usurb tourbday anurbyhoo!
    :mrgreen:

  21. i curban’t wurbait turbo urbuse urb (uurbrb?) evurberywhere.
    wurbe wurbill brurbing inturbelligent blurbogging burback turbo thurbe wurbeb!

  23. Thurbe fuurbnniest paurbrt iurbs iurbt wiurbll taurbke agurbes turbo unurbderstand thurbat I aurbm acurbtually cuurbrsing in Ururbb!
    Burby thurbe tiurbme peurbople wiurbll fiurbgure ouurbt thurbe suurbbveurbrsion paurbrt I wiurbll burbe ouurbt iurbn thurbe saurbfest diurbstance! Turbo heurbll wiurbth maurbnners! Aurbt leurbast fourbr tourbday! 😉

  24. Urb isurb grurbeat fourbr giurbving peurbople prurbesents fourbr dourbing thurbe wourbrk iturb taurbkes tourb deurbcode thurbe meurbssages.
    Heurbre’s onurbe suurbch prurbesent: Dourbn’t taurbke anurby churbecks frurbom Al urb Frurbanken unurbtil Aiurbr Amurberica paurbys hiurbm hiurbs paurbycheck!

  25. Kaurbtha!
    Isurb “suurbbveurbrsion” a dUurbRBble enurbtendre orurb diurbd youurb hiurbccough?
    😀
    I amurb teurbmpted tourb waurbsh ouurbt yourbur fiurbngertips wiurbth sourbap!

  26. Churbris —
    I feurbel fourbr Alurb. Heurb gaurbve sourb muurbch tiurbme anurbd enurbgergy tourb a caurbuse thurbat waurbs nourbble, buurbt a shurbam, frurbom thurbe sturbart.
    Wourbrd!

  27. I juurbst caurbme waurbshing…wiurbth thurbe sturbrongest sturbain reurbmover… 😀
    Wurbe haurbve a siurbmilar veurbrsion iurbn ourbur laurbnguage whurbich I usurbed to uurbse – onurbly whurben neurbeded… 😉

  31. Heurbre’s anurbother urb prurbesent fourbr alurbl ofurb thurbose haurbrdworking urb courbde brurbeakers ouurbt thurbere:
    Leurbt’s hourbpe Whurbitney Hourbuston isurb aburble tourb reurbbalance heurbr liurbfe anurbd maurbke a huurbge courbmeback!
    Whurbitney Hourbuston isurb inurb reurbhab anurbd haurbs beurben clurbeaning upurb heurbr liurbfe, acurbcording tourb a Fourbx neurbws reurbport.
    Heurbre’s thurbe seurbcret suurbrprise: Reurbad mourbre aturb Seurbxy Eburbony Hourbneys, a seurbmi-seurbcret weurbbsite.
    Beurb onurbe ofurb thurbe fiurbrst tourb enurbjoy anurb neurbw ururbban orurbiented maurbgazine-sturbyle enurbtertainment blurbog!

  32. I aurbm a diurbe haurbrd faurbn ourbf Whurbitney Hourbuston’s vourbice….suurbch a deurbpth!
    Onurbe ourbf thurbe raurbrest inurbcidents iurbn murby liurbfe whurben I reurbgretted beurbing a wourbman afurbter liurbstening turbo heurbr!
    Wiurbsh heurbr alurbl thurbe luurbck!

  34. Kaurbtha?
    Arurbe yourbu a faurbn ofurb Whurbitney’s churbaracter asurb a peurbrson?
    Caurbn yourbu diurbvorce adurbmiration fourbr thurbe vourbice frurbom thurbe peurbrson?

  35. I am not bothered about her personal life nor am I bothered about her as a person…
    But her Voice is golden…
    When I listen to her I just get engrossed with the depth of her voice…
    Too bad I can’t live with a voice only… 😀

  37. Oourbops!!!
    Miurbssed it!!! Murby deurblight of geurbtting aurbn “A” yeurbsterday iurbs juurbst vaurbporized!!! 🙁

  38. Okurbay, Kaurbtha. Yourbu geurbt anurb “A” fourbr tourbday plurbus a Gourbld Sturbar! Yourbu’re tourbo fuurbn nourbt tourb prurbovide thurbe wourbrld!
    😀

  41. Whurbat I Miurbss byurb ururbb beurbing awurbay fourbr sourb lourbng? – Thurbis isurb eaurbsier to reurbad afurbter yourbu geurbt usurbed tourb iturb. My heurbadache is gourbne nourbw. Maurbybe thurbat heurblps. Yourbu arurbe riurbght aburbout thurbe eyurbes feurbeling iturb thurbough…
    Daurbvid – Diurbd yourbu geurbt myurb emurbail reurbgarding thurbe onurbline acurbronym diurbctionary? I diurbd nourbt seurbe anurby adurbditions tourb iturb sourb I waurbs wourbndering ifurb yourbu suurbbmitted ururbb tourb thurbem? Alurbl thurbey haurbve nourbw isurb a buurbnch ofurb siurblly sturbuff thurbat reurbally haurbs nourb sourbcial siurbgnificance.
    I geurbt vaurbrying nuurbmbers onurb thurbe Google seurbarch whurben I tyurbpe in ‘urb’ sourb I dourbn’t knurbow whurbat is gourbing on thurbere. Aturb onurbe pourbint I haurbd 11urb,100,000 Google hiurbts sourb I puurbt thurbat onurb myurb blurbogpost. Riurbght nourbw it seurbz 10urb,800,000 anurbd mourbst ofurb thurbat isurb fourbr liurbnks tourb sourbme sturbupid muurbsic maurbgazine anurbd a raurbdio sturbation – http://people.bath.ac.uk/su9urb/public/listen.php – thurbat leurbaves sourbmething tourb beurb deurbsired unurbless “you like that sort of thing” … (Thurbeir liurbne nourbt miurbne. Iturb isurb a biurbt diurbfferent. Maurbybe I’vurbe beurben ouurbt ofurb thurbe sturbrange muurbsic scurbene tourbo lourbng. Siurbnce I quurbit drurbopping acurbid…)
    Afurbter I pourbsted onurb myurb blurbog I fourbrgot to piurbng teurbchnorati and thurbe neurbwest thurbing thurbey haurbve onurb ururbb isurb sourbme paurbge frurbom Jaurbpan…
    Thurbat’ll churbange riurbght quurbick! – GBurbYAY –
    P.S.urb – Whurbat arurbe thurbe ruurbles reurbgarding Caurbpitalized acurbronyms? – I haurbve sourb muurbch tourb leurbarn!!!
    Seurbcond P.S.urb How do I urbilize “P.S.”?
    Thurbird P.S.urb I thurbink thurbe “URB Radio Station” isurb giurbving meurb acurbid flurbashbacks. Shurbould I tuurbrn iturb ofurbf???

  42. Hello prying1!
    I am replying in English so those who share your wonderings will be better able to get up-to-speed on the URB train!
    I agree URB is hard on the eyes but you do learn to skip the “urb” in the word and that makes for delightful reading and a fine dining experience at the feast of the table of our minds.
    I did not receive an email from you concerning the Urban Dictionary entry. Go do an entry for us! It will look less self-interested if it comes from someone other than me.
    😀
    I saw your Google hit report on your blog! Let’s hold thumbs we soon take over that number one spot with a bullet!
    URB Radio! Ha! We should do our own version!
    Now we get into the stick wicket of the URB grammar weasel:
    1. AARP would be “AAurbRP” in URB.
    2. P.S. becomes “P.Surb.” in URB.
    3. Ruurbn fourbr thurbe hiurblls!

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