Is "oto" a legal Scrabble word?

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 08 May 2004, 15:57

If you play Scrabble you can understand that it might be controversial. Not that I am bitter or anything, but I would like some biased opinion from Planet Catfish to back me up.

Post by **Silurus** » 08 May 2004, 15:58

I guess if it's not in one of those big dictionaries (e.g. OED), it's not.

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 08 May 2004, 16:04

Well, I'm sorry, but the OED is just too small, then.

Zanmato · Post by **Zanmato** » 08 May 2004, 23:09

No, it's not.

You can make up words if you want, since the human language is unbounded in scope.

Yes, that's very fair if I just decide to make up a word like "wizhgei" and give some definition to it.

RogerMcAllen · Post by **RogerMcAllen** » 08 May 2004, 23:59

Dictionary.com says it is a word.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=oto

It is a member of the Oto tribe of the Souix.

Zanmato · Post by **Zanmato** » 09 May 2004, 00:01

Make up your own words at http://www.UrbanDictionary.com! Have fun!

Post by **Silurus** » 09 May 2004, 00:04

RogerMcAllen wrote:Dictionary.com says it is a word.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=oto

It is a member of the Oto tribe of the Souix.

Aren't you not supposed to use proper nouns in Scrabble?

Zanmato · Post by **Zanmato** » 09 May 2004, 00:09

What about words that are derived from people's names, like guillotine?

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 10 May 2004, 16:21

As a proper nown, "Oto" the Indian tribe wouldn't be legal, but "oto" as a catfish would be a legal abbreviation if it isn't capitalized and doesn't require a period.

Since it's not in any dictionary, including the OED and the Scrabble Dictionary, it is necessary to appeal to authority for the customary spelling and whether it is commonly used in its particular field. Hence my posting.

For example, "pleco" is known by many aquarists, but "oto" possibly isn't. Nobody in the forums seems to capitalize it, which is a point in its favour.