Bike India

Best Bikes in India | No.1 Two Wheeler Magazine

  • Home
  • News
    • Upcoming Launches
    • Latest News
    • New Bike Launches
  • Reviews
    • First Ride
    • Road Test
    • Comparison
  • Features
  • Our Bikes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • NG Auto
    • AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
    • CAR INDIA
    • COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
  • Brands

Oxford Dictionary redefines ‘biker’

February 27, 2013 by Aninda Sardar Leave a Comment

The linguistic experts at Oxford Dictionary Online (ODO) has changed their definition of the word ‘biker’ to the following: a motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of a gang or group. The big change here is the addition of the words ‘or group.’ reflecting a welcome shift in the way people use the term today. It often identifies everyday motorcyclists who enjoy riding together and are not particularly menacing. This is a departure from associations with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club or other motorcycle groups regarded as outlaws. But still, good-citizen motorcycle riders may be disappointed that “gang” remains in the definition.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary the word “biker” started out in the 1880s as a way to identify people who rode bicycles. But by the 1950s the word had traveled downhill to the point where it often referred to members of motorcycle gangs, and Oxford defined it that way, until now.

“Our research suggests that ‘biker’ is now marginally more closely aligned with ‘motorcyclist’ (‘a person who rides a motorcycle’) than words such as ‘Hell’s Angel’ (‘a member of any of a number of gangs of male motorcycle enthusiasts, first formed in California in the 1950s and originally notorious for lawless behaviour’),” the Oxford University Press said in a statement. The dictionary’s publisher also said it changed its usage example for the word to “a biker was involved in a collision with a car” from an example that mentioned “a long-haired biker in dirty denims.” A spokeswoman for the publisher said long hair and dirty denims never were part of the dictionary’s definition. The definition changed in the online dictionary but not in the vast, historic Oxford English version.

Biker Oxford gang

Aninda Sardar – who has written 312 posts on Bike India.


Email • Twitter

Related posts:

California Superbike School - Taming the Track
Royal Enfield 650 Twins Get Cast Alloy Wheels and Other Updates
Bajaj Pulsar NS200 And NS160 Gets USD Forks

Filed Under: Latest News, News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AlphaOmega Captcha Classica  –  Enter Security Code
 ⟲    ➴
 


MARCH 2023

Bike India - India's no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

17TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Bike India - India's no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

Anniversary Ride to the Isle of Man with Freddie Spencer and Sid Lal

TVS Ntorq Ncounters I – Navigating the Night

BMW G 310 GS Explores Nagaland

SPECIAL Featured Story

Yamaha MT-10 SP – Ready for Road, Track, and Touring

Yamaha MT-10 SP – Ready for Road, Track, and Touring

In recent years, however, the MT-10 has begun to show its age, especially in terms of technology and rider aids. It was always on the thirsty side, too, and, by modern standards, the brakes were lacking. It was time for an update, which is why for 2022 Yamaha introduced a new MT-10 earlier this year.

More about this.

Car India and Bike India Awards 2019

Recent Posts

  • Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 and NS 200 Update Review — Enhanced Agility
  • California Superbike School – Taming the Track
  • Royal Enfield 650 Twins Get Cast Alloy Wheels and Other Updates
  • Bajaj Pulsar NS200 And NS160 Gets USD Forks

Car India

Car India Magazine - Get your Digital Subscription

Latest News

Royal Enfield 650 Twins Get Cast Alloy Wheels and Other Updates

Bajaj Pulsar NS200 And NS160 Gets USD Forks

Hero MotoCorp And Zero Motorcycles Collaborate For Premium Electric Motorcycles

Massive New Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle 135 Crate Engines

Subscribe to Car India

Subscribe to our Car India Magazine

Bike India: India’s no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

BIKE India covers the two-wheeler industry in its entirety, both from the local and the international perspective. Also delivers the most definitive verdict on machinery and performance by explaining the hows, whys, and whats on every new bike in a lucid and user-friendly manner. BIKE India is the India’s most authoritative two-wheeler publication, a magazine for people with a passion for bikes and everything to do with their history and heritage.
SiteMap

Copyright © 2023 · BIKE INDIA INDIA’S NO. 1 TWO WHEELER MAGAZINE, BY FAR! ·