Baseball, power and war - 2022's key words

[Celerity]

Was 2022 defined by conflict, power cuts ... or a viral word game? That's what language experts around the world have been trying to decide as they nominate their words of the year.



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64004556

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Meaning: War. The Japanese character is pronounced differently - as "sen" or "ikusa" - depending on the word and context in which it is used

Nominated by: Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, public poll

Why? One of the biggest news events this year was the conflict in Ukraine, but the choice also reflects tensions with North Korea as well as sporting competitions like the World Cup and Winter Olympics

Meaning: War (Russia)

Nominated by: An independent panel, headed by a Russian professor based in the US

Why? The panel's choice has special significance as the Russian government still does not call its war a war, calling it instead a "special military operation"

Meaning: Shrinkflation, when items get smaller even as price stays the same

Nominated by: The Norwegian Language Council

Why? Inflation has stretched consumers around the world, with high energy and food prices. Shrinkflation is one way retailers have responded

Meaning: The act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for a personal advantage. Its origins come from a 30s play where a man tries to trick his wife into believing she is insane

Nominated by: Merriam-Webster

Why? The US dictionary maker says gaslighting is a "word for our time", pointing to how the decades-old term sits with more modern forms of deception, such as fake news or deepfakery

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