Oxford Dictionary 2017 Word of the Year
Over Christmas we’ve all had flu, so we’ve spent hours curled up on the sofa watching TV – some good, some bad, some absolutely diabolical! But one thing we did catch as we flipped through the channels was the Word of the Year 2017!
Everyday we create new words for new products, and social media has bought us plenty over the last few years, many of which are tech inspired. Words like selfie, phablet, FOMO, bitcoin, emoji and many, many more ‘buzzworthy’ words according to the Oxford Dictionary.
The 2017 Word of the Year is 'Youthquake' which means significant change and influence bought about by young people. Casper Grathwohi from Oxford Dictionaries said the use of the word had increased ‘fivefold’, especially during the UK’s general election.
But there were a couple of other words that caught my attention – just as worthy of the title if you ask me…
'Hepeated'
I love this word. This happens when a woman is ignored in a meeting, then a man says exactly what she already said, and everyone agrees with him!
This has happened to me on more than one occasion, and unfortunately more recently too. So lovely to have a word for it – will have to use it as a response if this ever happens to me again!
Talking of meetings this next one is a great new word too.
'Manel'.
A panel of men. Men planning.
What I love about this word is that the world has never considered it necessary to define such a panel before. It was always the norm… until now!
I’m not a raving feminist before you ask, but I am someone who has always had to work harder to get the same recognition as my male counterpart in the corporate world.
Even now I’m my own boss, running my own business, I find I have to fight sometimes to be heard and for the recognition I’ve earned.
So the words I’m taking into 2018 are ‘Heapeated’ and ‘Manel’ and the irony is if I do find myself in a position to use them, the people around me won’t have a clue what I’m talking about!
Maybe we can come up with a few of our own this year – do let me know what you’d love to see in next years Oxford Dictionary!