Post by Jenny
I’m a sucker for
end-of-the-year lists, and Merriam Webster Online recently posted its trend-watch
words for 2012. These are the words that saw a spike in “look-ups”as a result
of news-worthy events.
As may be expected in an
election year, many words—from January 3rd’s caucus to November 6th’s
socialism—were used in a political context. As this was a most contentious
campaign cycle, most of the words did not have positive connotations—ambivalence,
gibberish, gaffe, wonk, rhetoric, vituperative, malarkey. (I have a few others I
would add.)
If there’s anything that
stirs up emotion as much as politics, it’s sports. Decathlon won’t rile anyone
up, but I’m presuming that was not the case when a Texas cheerleading coach
called her squad “highfalutin’ heifers.” A disputed call in the NFL was deemed
egregious (and so was Paula Deen’s Southern cookin’ when she revealed she was
diabetic). The NFL was also responsible for prima donna (in connection with the
alleged New Orleans Saints bounty scandal).
Popular culture contributed
reductive (Madonna vs. Lady Gaga), narcissism (hello, Facebook), reconcile (celebrity relationships), and touché (the
name of Disney’s new touch-screen technology). Movies inspired look-ups of
dystopian (Hunger Games) and genre (vampires, in this case slain by
Abraham Lincoln). Health and science added boson (the God
particle) and visceral (belly fat, y’all).
Writer words made the
list, too, including irregardless (from Top 10 Grammar Peeves), roman à clef and
acerbic (after the passings of Nora Ephron and Gore Vidal), and the cri de coeur
of a former Goldman Sachs exec which was published in the New York Times.
All of these are great
words deserving of their fifteen minutes, but I think the best of all was
guetapens, which a 14-year-old girl from San Diego spelled correctly to win the
National Spelling Bee. My spell-check doesn’t even know how to spell that one.
I look up many words in
the course of a year, but the only one I remember from 2012 is inchoate, which I’m
pretty sure I look up every year because I can never seem to remember exactly
what it means. Maybe in 2013 I’ll finally commit this definition to memory: at
an initial or early stage; imperfectly formed or developed.
Do you have a favorite
word from 2012?
(Find the complete M-W
list here.)
4 comments:
I am also guilty of searching lists, and what is popular and on and on. I can't think of any particular word for 2012, or one that would match your list in this posting! Definitely enjoyed reading your posting and Happy Monday!
Thanks G_G!
My favorite word/s juju midge.
What a fun way to learn some new words! I enjoyed reading your post. :)
Post a Comment