“Unfriend” is the word of the year for the Oxford Dictionary folk. Since I’m a language abuser at heart, here’s their press release:
Facebook fans will undoubtedly recognize the New Oxford American Dictionary’s 2009 Word of the Year, unfriend.
unfriend – verb – To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook
“It has both currency and potential longevity,” notes Christine Lindberg, Senior Lexicographer for Oxford’s US dictionary program. “In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for Word of the Year. Most ‘un-’ prefixed words are adjectives (unacceptable, unpleasant), and there are certainly some familiar ‘un-’ verbs (uncap, unpack), but ‘unfriend’ is different from the norm. It assumes a verb sense of ‘friend’ that is really not used (at least not since maybe the 17th century!). Unfriend has real lex-appeal.”
For a shortlist of new words considered for the New Oxford American Dictionary 2009 Word of the Year continue reading.
About the New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year:
Among their other activities, lexicographers at Oxford University Press track how the vocabulary of the English language is changing from year to year. Every year, the New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year is debated and chosen, with the selection made to reflect the ethos of the year and its lasting potential as a word of cultural significance and use.
Word of the Year Finalists:
Technology
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hashtag – a # [hash] sign added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets (postings on the Twitter site) that contain similarly tagged items and view thematic sets
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intexticated – distracted because texting on a cellphone while driving a vehicle
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netbook – a small, very portable laptop computer with limited memory
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paywall – a way of blocking access to a part of a website which is only available to paying subscribers
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sexting – the sending of sexually explicit texts and pictures by cellphone
Economy
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freemium – a business model in which some basic services are provided for free, with the aim of enticing users to pay for additional, premium features or content
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funemployed – taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests
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zombie bank – a financial institution whose liabilities are greater than its assets, but which continues to operate because of government support
Politics and Current Affairs
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Ardi -(Ardipithecus ramidus) oldest known hominid, discovered in Ethiopia during the 1990s and announced to the public in 2009
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birther – a conspiracy theorist who challenges President Obama’s US birth certificate
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choice mom – a person who chooses to be a single mother
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death panel – a theoretical body that determines which patients deserve to live, when care is rationed
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teabagger – a person who protests President Obama’s tax policies and stimulus package, often through local demonstrations known as “Tea Party” protests (in allusion to the Boston Tea Party of 1773
Environment
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brown state – a US state that does not have strict environmental regulations
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green state – a US state that has strict environmental regulations
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ecotown – a town built and run on eco-friendly principles
Novelty Words
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deleb – a dead celebrity
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tramp stamp – a tattoo on the lower back, usually on a woman
Notable Word Clusters for 2009
Twitter related:
Tweeps Twibe
Tweetup Sweeple
Twitt Tweepish
Twitterati Tweetaholic
Twitterature Twittermob
Twitterverse/sphere Twitterhea
Retweet
Obamaisms:
Obamanomics Obamaeur
Obamarama Obamanator
Obamasty Obamaland
Obamacons Obamalicious
Obamanos Obamacles
Obamanation Obamania
Obamafication Obamacracy
Obamamessiah Obamanon
Obamamama Obamalypse
Despite all this, most humans use fewer than 5,000 words in a week +they r gting shrtr. Tnx2txting.
Storming Toward Winter’s Arrival
Apparently, not too many people in the UK have been reading UrbanSurvival. If they had been, somewhere along the way I would have mentioned that from a reporter or editor standpoint “news” manufacturing is a fine art.
Take weather stories (please): Every year has a “Hottest Day of the Year” story. Every year has a Coldest Day of the Year” headline to go with it.
Example of how this works out? Sure: “Britain prepares for ANOTHER battering after biggest storm of the year washes out the weekend” says the Daily Mail.
The cyclical nature of news isn’t something most folks devote mental processor clicks to, but it’s there. Inauguration stories repeat every four years, Congressman reelected stories continue either until they retire or are caught…so there’s a rhythm to that comes with time of year.
No, it’s not winter yet but already the seasonal news stories are starting to pop up. I hope the fine folks at Google’s Trend Lab won’t mind my borrowing this graphic to make a point…but in language and in consciousness there is a regular heartbeat to this – something anyone with cardiac medicine would recognize as a big strip on life in these United States:
What’s interesting to look at is that looking at general search use of Christmas seems to be in some kind of long-term trend. When I tell you “Grim Reaper Does Christmas” this year is likely in the cards, it’s not from some woo-woo science…just continue the trend and what do you find?
T’ain’t pretty.
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38º on the north deck as I strolled over to the office this morning…Both the cats are coming into the office in the early morning hours when I get up. Pusscilla sleeps on the rug in front of the drum set. Zeus prefers a chair (covered with a paper towel to keep cat dander & tag-alongs off it).
Their presence has kept me from some of my usual holiday is coming stress relievers such as banging on the snare drum… recently forgot Z was in the room and slammed some paradiddles and crash rides (you do know what rudiments are to novice drummers, right?). Never seen a cat move so fast.
Ever since, all I have to do is look at the drumsticks and Zeus gets worried. So, for now, the drum bashing is on hold, which seems to please both cats. Something about Silent Night.
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Peoplenomics This Week
Life Through Business Model Glasses
“Life Through Business Model Glasses” Ever wonder what would cause a person (like me) to ask “What’s the Woo-Woo business model worth?” Here’s the cause…Ever since I got serious about trying to understand business back when I was a newscaster, I’d come to a working conclusion that almost all human activity may be viewed at some level as competition between business models. Whether you talk about religion, government, family, or more conventionally-structured businesses like the traditional plumber six blocks over, everyone it seems is running a business model – although most will deny it’s their sole motivation. Using this approach, we can not only develop clearer focus in our personal lives, but also gain understanding through questions we never thought to ask before. Like: “What’s a UFO worth?” and “How big is the woo-woo business?”
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“Live on $10,000″ A Year
With another round of layoffs due to start later this month…a round which will start to axe many of the middle managers who have managed to avoid the HR grenades…might I suggest a preemptive tactical move? Voluntarily dropping your lifestyle back a bit, since we’re all being marched down that road by either circumstances or some out-of-control-PTB types who write checks to Washington lobby and to anti-reformers in California! A good starting point, at least if you’ve still got $10-bucks is my e-book “How to Live on #10,000 a Year…or less!”
It’s an automatic download. It’s written in an information dense style: The whole thing runs about 65 pages, but it gives you a vision of how to not only live on the cheap, but also how to migrate up the economic foodchain if you have a little hustle left… Click here for the index and details.
MyGroPonics
My commodity broker JB Slear and I have written a simple book to get you started on high density hydroponics. It’s an example of how someone with a little creativity, access to a few ‘dollar stores’ and willing to try out some new farming techniques can grow an amazing amount of produce sin a very small space – like even an apartment balcony (if it gets some sunlight). Sound interesting? It’s just $10 bucks here…
Pass It On
The business model of this website is base Simply click here and send a link to this site to everyone on your distro list…Nothing more dangerous than sharp, clear-thinking upstarts who ask a lot of questions, eh? Unless you believe WTC-7 fell over on its own, of course….
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Last week’s report is here. For back issues of this site, click here. (Goes back to 1997!)