My beef with Scrabble is that it really isn't a word game, so much as an exercise in memorizing arbitrary strings of symbols. It's unfortunate, because it doesn't really encourage people to develop their vocabulary, as in "learning new words and their meanings", which is generally useful. Rather, it encourages people to learn what arbitrary combinations are legal in a given word list.
Ad absurdum - at one point, the world Scrabble champion was a fellow who didn't actually speak English.
Ad absurdum - at one point, the world Scrabble champion was a fellow who didn't actually speak English.
Unlike with Chinese, it is not impossible to make a Thai scrabble, but I doubt there is one, given the size of its alphabet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_alphabet)
As a result of the game, I've learned tons of words whose meanings are completely unknown to me (mbaqanga, eolipile, aboideau) and tons of words that have enhanced my vocabulary (prexy, glaire, oomiak).
As for 'learning new words and their meanings', clearly Scrabble isn't that game. But to be fair that isn't its stated aim, either. If you know any good examples I'd love to play them.
He also has a couple of funny anecdotes about words that aren't allowed - like "picowatt", which rather offended our collective sensibilities as electrical engineers.
You're quite right that Scrabble is not about definitions, per se. But Scrabble does describe itself as a "word game", and it really isn't - it's more of a memorization with a bit of math kind of game.
Awesome project @zephod!
Make the list too large, and you open the game up precisely to the this sort of critique -- "it's all about learning arbitrary words like AA or ZEK." Personally, I'm happy with the latter, as it makes the game deep and rewarding (I actually enjoy looking up words like "zek.") But (competitive) Scrabble is its own world that needn't appeal to everyone.
If the arbitrariness of the Scrabble tournament word list bothers you, you might try house rules with your friends that limit words to those that are universally accepted. This is what I do when I play with my mom. I just know that I can't play QI or UNAU and play a less competitive, friendlier game.
The trouble is nailing it down. You can't expect people to remember the dictionary definition word-for-word, but then how close is "close enough", and who decided? OTOH, if you just require people to use the word in a sentence, even ruling out variants like "I want to play the word "quux" next", all a player would have to do would be to remember that a word is, e.g. a noun, and say "I saw a xyzzy on the way to work yesterday."