The OED word of the year is out! (I know how little enthusiasm this creates here on Wordcraft. ).

It is: Squeezed middle - meaning the middle class people are particularly affected by inflation, wage freezes, and cuts in spending.

Other considerations were:

Arab spring - Series of anti-government uprisings in various countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

Bunga bunga - Referring to parties hosted by the Italian Prime Minister where illicit sexual activities were alleged to have taken place.

Clicktivism - Using social media to promote a cause.

Crowdfunding - Funding a project or ventures by raising small amounts of money from large numbers of people, typically via the Internet.

Occupy - An international movement protesting against perceived economic injustices by occupying buildings or public places for an extended period of time.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kalleh,

I think it's just "squeezed middle".

There's quite a lot of debate about it over at Language Log.

You are correct. I just edited it. Sorry about that; I have always heard it as "squeezed in the middle" and therefore got confused.

Here is the Language Log link.

Taking a page from Arab spring, occupy clicktivists gathered the squeezed middle and crowdfunded pizza.
(couldn't fit bunga bunga)

Isn't it more accurately "phrase of the year"?

quote:

Originally posted by Proofreader:
Isn't it more accurately "phrase of the year"?

That's exactly what the language log discussion is all about.

quote:

That's exactly what the language log discussion is all about.

Maybe I shuld have read that first.

I don't particularly object to a WOTY (or a POTY for that matter). I do find it strange, though, that OUP have chosen "squeezed middle". Last year they chose (UK Prime Minister) David Cameron's "big society", and this year they chose a sound bite from the (UK Leader of the Opposition) Ed Milliband. Are they trying to avoid accusations of political bias? Milliband's phrase is by no means in common parlance, and in fact I had to read on to find out what it meant, as I'd forgotten his use of it.

Also, surely, the xOTD should be used in global English, not just politicians' speeches in the UK? While I'm sure both concepts have their equivalents in other countries, they do relate to British politics.

quote:

Originally posted by bethree5:
Taking a page from Arab spring, occupy clicktivists gathered the squeezed middle and crowdfunded pizza.
(couldn't fit bunga bunga)

And it all ended not with a bang but with a bunga bunga.

It is odd that only 2 of them were actually "words" and even then...occupy?

Interestingly, the American Dialect Society calls it the word or phrase of the year. Their nominations are being taken now , if you are interested.

Dictionary.com's word of the year is tergiversate, meaning "flip-flopping." Their runners up include:

- zugzwang — a situation in chess in which a player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect.

- oppugnancy — opposing; antagonistic; contrary.

- internecine — of or pertaining to conflict or struggle within a group.

- quietus — a finishing stroke; anything that effectually ends or settles.

- occupy — to be a resident or tenant of; dwell in.

- winning — charming; engaging; pleasing.

- spring — to come or appear suddenly, as if at a bound.

- jobs — a post of employment; full-time or part-time position.

- austerity — severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.

- bifurcating — to divide or fork into two branches.

- iconoclasm — the action or spirit of a destroyer of images, especially those set up for religious veneration.

- schismatic — of, pertaining to, or of the nature of division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties; guilty of division or disunion.

- topple — to overthrow, as from a position of authority.

- uprising — an insurrection or revolt.

The Huffington Post has an article on Dictionary.com's choice, but I couldn't find anything on the site itself. Anyone know why they chose those words? They are not particularly new or more frequently used so far as I know, and the only one I can see a possible change in meaning for is "occupy", which has overtones of "without consent" in "Occupy Wall Street", etc., although phrases such as "occupied France" (during the last war) are similar.

EDIT: I've now found Dictionary.com's article, at http://hotword.dictionary.com/tergiversate/ and they say

quote:

There are essentially two ways to pick a “word of the year.” One common approach is to select from words whose common usage reflects some quality of the year past. Expect to see “occupy,” “winning,” etc., on many selections this December. Another way involves actually using the dictionary. Is there a word that captures the character of 2011, regardless of its popularity or ubiquity?

So... they choose a word to describe the year.

I thought the words of the year were those words that became popular during the year. This year, however, the words/phrases all seem somewhat political, quite ordinary, and rather ridiculous selections. I like a specific word, such as zugzwang, that is somewhat obscure. But occupy? Or jobs? or spring? Strange.

I wonder if all the words of the year have the same goal, arnie, to "describe" the year. I don't think so, though the OED words of the year weren't any better. I hope the American Dialect Society has a better selection of words.

Most Word of the Year choices seem to be of words (and sometimes phrases) that have gained common currency and at least one of:

• become more frequently used
• have significantly changed their meaning
• been coined to describe some new fad or phenomenon.

Dictionary.com seem to adopt a different approach, going to the dictionary to find a word they feel describes the past year, rather than epitomises it.

Well, I like brand new words.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
Well, I like brand new words.

Fresh from the fire, huh?

quote:

Originally posted by tinman:

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
Well, I like brand new words.

Fresh from the fire, huh?

That's such an interesting link, goofy. I always assumed-- I suppose because I grew up on old books, especially Twain-- that 'bran-new' was some folksy, farm-related term whose mispronunciation had become the new standard. Live and learn!

Would that be considered an "incendiary" comment?

Interestingly, when I had posted "brand new," I had wondered where that developed. I wondered if it had something to do with "brands," but I see not. Thanks for the link, Tinman.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
Interestingly, when I had posted "brand new," I had wondered where that developed. I wondered if it had something to do with "brands," but I see not.

Or more likely, yes.
The chain of meanings is pretty clear

brand - piece of burning wood
used to
brand cattle i.e. Mark them for ownership
and a mark of (commercial) ownership is a brand.

You think that is likely?

I think it's more than likely. I think it's correct. Though I could be mistaken and if others wish to correct me I'll happily accept their input.