Oxford Word Of The Year has 3 candidates: Here’s what they mean and what they mean
For the first time, the Oxford English Dictionary gives people the opportunity to vote for word of the year. According to a BBC Reportedly, a team of lexicographers from Oxford University Press narrowed the list down to just three words – metaverse, #IStandWith and the phrase goblin mode. Oxford staff believe that all three options “each fit the year in a different way”. Lovers have December 2 to decide.
Oxford rival Collins has announced ‘permacrisis’ – “a prolonged period of unrest and insecurity” – as the word of the year, and the Cambridge Dictionary has chosen ‘homer’. In 2021, Oxford has chosen ‘vax’ – “vaccination” or “vaccination” – as the word of the year.
Here’s what the three options are available to the public to vote on:
- Super star: It’s a conceptual virtual world where people can live, eat, work and make friends through their avatar. Facebook is one of the platforms that are investing billions of dollars to give a big boost to the metaverse. Oxford says usage of the word quadrupled in October 2022 due to the work-from-home culture and virtual reality, compared with the same month last year.
- #ISandWith: The Oxford team said the hashtag “recognizes the activism and divisiveness that has become the hallmark of this year”. People around the world have used it to express solidarity with a cause or movement, adding that on TikTok, this hashtag has 2.8 million views.
- Goblin mode: This is a slang phrase dating from 2009-2010, says Oxford University Press. Interest grew when actress and model Julia Fox was linked to a fake headline with the phrase about her breakup with rapper Kanye West.
“Over the past year, the world has reopened and in that spirit we are expanding the Word of the Year selection process to language lovers everywhere,” said Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl Talk to BBC when asked why the dictionary chose to open voting to the public.
Other candidates:
- Platy Jubes: A term popularized by social media for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
- Quietly giving up: This phrase is also considered. It means doing the bare minimum of the job and not spending more time, effort or enthusiasm than necessary.
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