A living document
- Gary Hinson
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
Language is a constantly-evolving social construct: terms, phrasing, meanings, interpretations and implications all vary over time. Furthermore, they vary between individuals or communities and contexts.
This morning, for instance, I have added "government security" to my working version of the Cybersecurity Hyperglossary, a term that can refer either to government-issued bonds or to the protective status of government - two markedly different meanings. I also defined "neologism", a word I have used in defining novel terms such as "agritech" and "sextortion".
Identifying, exploring, clarifying and defining the language of information security (including cybersecurity - another neologism) keeps me busy and engaged, and is a key part of making the hyperglossary topical, relevant, informative and fun to use.
Mining the literature for inspiration reveals rich seams such as published standards, methods, approaches, laws and regulations. Most contain glossary sections, formally defining key terms as used in those particular documents. Research papers and marketing glossies suggest still more, plus the plethora of websites and online glossaries. Neologisms usually turn up first in social media and marketing collateral, generally undefined and vague until clarified and stabilised in use.
In the course of adding new entries, I search the hyperglossary for the new terms in order to add internal hyperlinks to the new definitions, and reconsider those definitions, hoping to capture any subtle nuances. This is a never-ending quest, an ongoing process of analysis, refinement and clarification in a field that is actively developing on a global basis. Since the manuscript for the first edition of the Cybersecurity Hyperglossary was submitted to the publisher back in May 2025, I have added over 750 new entries, averaging more than two per day.
OK, enough of me already. What about you? How are you using the hyperglossary? What does it do for you? If you could wave a magic wand, what would you add, change or remove? If you have the time to draft a review, that would be wonderful - especially an Amazon review if you bought your copy from them, or one that you're willing to share here. Alternatively, I'd love to hear from you directly. Without reader feedback, I feel like a late night DJ on an obscure broadcast station, transmitting into the void ...
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