Google doesn't "really" ignore words in searches (?)

So I happened to notice that my Trick or Treat page ranks #1 in Google for a search using the two words trick treat ... but if I add an "or" in there so the search is for trick or treat, Google says the "Lowercase "or" was ignored" ... but the results are quite different and I don't see my page in the first 30 entries. I.e. the "or" is not really being ignored, but somehow tinkering with the results - wonder what is up with that?

Note that I am NOT quoting the search phrase.

 

Hmmm interesting observation.

 

I have also noticed that many times. So much for "stop words", eh?

 

Nice find.... Very interesting.....

 

I've been noticing this for a few months now.

 

Me too. I think someone pointed it out on another forum last fall at least...

 

I think in this case what Google actually meant is that the "or" is ignored by the search engine as comparison operator. It still includes "or" in the search, but it doesn't see the "or" as stipulating "Either" trick or treat (as it would if you had used OR).

 

Except that I've seen Google do the same thing for words like "the", "in", etc. Non-boolean words.

Edit: Actually, that WAS true in the past - another "Jagger" change? I just tried it on some known phrases -- http://www.google.com/search?source...G,GGLG:2005-35,GGLG:en&q=psychologists+ottawa versus http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...GLG:2005-35,GGLG:en&q=psychologists+in+ottawa -- and I noticed two things:

1. the "ignored" message isn't there any more

2. the Jagger results for the first variant are emphasizing words in URLs more than previously?

Edit2: the "ignored" message doesn't appear for "the" now either -- look at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...-35,GGLG:en&q=ottawa+psychologist&btnG=Search versus http://www.google.com/search?source...GLG:2005-35,GGLG:en&q=the+ottawa+psychologist

Is Google making a change and now only "ignoring" Boolean words, as Crusader suggests?

 

Now that is a totally different ball-game. I haven't noticed that, but that's just cause I normally search only for phrases in qoutes etc.

Strange indeed.

 

Also, sometimes GG seems to make diference on capitals letters.

This is a quite specific query, but please do it and change any of the caps to lowercase. You'll see a big diference, at least on the first results.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=+"Punta Negra Hotel" +Mallorca&hl=en&lr=&start=10&sa=N

 

I've also seen that, but I think it is somewhat makes sense once you think about it.
Google does ignore the word 'or' in the search, you can see that it you replace it with 'the', 'and' etc, it will give the same results.
The difference of leaving it out entirely is then google search for words trick treat closer together. (It will prefer pages with the term 'trick treat' above something with other words between the two). If you now search for trick or treat, even though google 'ignores' the word or, it will search for phrases that more loosely contain the terms. (maybe even for the words trick and treat seperated by a single word). This makes sense from a users perspective, since simply cutting out the word might make phrases that would not normally be formed.
Hope this makes sense

 

No. I'm sorry but it makes no sense at all.

Could you please re-post that without words like "and", "or", "the", and "of"?

Thanks!

 

i think it's been that way for long as I remembered? errr.. I've never really noticed it because I've been using Google for research then..

 

Too much text for you Minstrel
What I meant is:
1: Google does ignore the words or, and, the, ect since replacing the one with another gives the same results. (trick or treat, Trick and treat, gives same results)
2: 'Ignoring' the words is not the same as cutting them out of the search. By typing trick or treat, you give Google more information about what you want. Now Google knows that you are not that interested in the exact phrase, but a more general query that includes both the words.

 

But Google used to TELL you they were ignoring those words, even highlighting the words they were ignoring...

 

I had a hunch google wasn't totally ignoring those words... after all, how would it phrase match properly ?

 

See above - if you place a phrase in quotes, no words are ignored. Without the quotes, it is looking for any or all of the words in any order anywhere on the page or in the headers or in the URL.