‘Situationship’, ‘De-influencing’ among contenders for Oxford Word of the Year 2023. Know what they mean
Oxford University Press has released a list of eight words for the Word of the Year title. The selection is based on a comprehensive analysis of a vast 22 billion word corpus of language data that reflects societal changes and trends by the year 2023.
Among the most popular is the word ‘situation’, which captures the modern romance. Coined to describe romantic or sexual relationships without formal commitment, the term reflects the changing dynamics of contemporary relationships.
Another interesting entry is the ‘beige flag’, a name that indicates a partner’s lack of originality or a certain level of depression. It encompasses the idea of traits that are neither specifically positive nor negative, but that define them.
The term ‘de-influence’ made its mark on the shortlist, which refers to the act of influencing people to stop buying certain products or promote reduced consumption, particularly through social media influencers.
The word ‘Swiftie’, synonymous with fans of pop sensation Taylor Swift, earned its spot on the shortlist. The term reflects the commitment and passionate following that has grown up around certain celebrities in the digital age.
The list includes a ‘heat dome’, a persistent high-pressure weather system that holds warm air, highlighting the impact of climate-related words on our everyday speech.
The adjective “parasocial” refers to the one-sided closeness that fans feel to media celebrities, especially in the age of social media, and that followers can feel a false friendship with their idols.
A technology-focused entry is ‘Fast’, a guide to artificial intelligence programs or algorithms that influence the content they generate, reflecting their increasing role in our lives.
Finally, ‘Riz’ brings the touch and charm of the nominations, representing the ability to attract romantic or sexual partners.
Word of the Year is narrowed down to four finalists before being announced by Oxford linguists. The voting system involves head-to-head matches where the public can vote for their favorite word in each combination.
“Vote your favorite word from each head forward to help us choose the four finalists before the final word is revealed by our linguists. Voting runs until Thursday, November 30. Oxford University Press says so on its languages website.
