“Refudiate this, word snobs!”
Here at Oxford, we love words. We love when they have ancient histories, we love when they have double-meanings, we love when they appear in alphabet soup, and we love when they are made up.
Here at Oxford, we love words. We love when they have ancient histories, we love when they have double-meanings, we love when they appear in alphabet soup, and we love when they are made up.
Ammon Shea reveals how the Oxford Word of the Year is chosen.
Birds are singing, the sun is shining and I am joyful in the morning without caffeine. Why? Because it is Word of the Year time (or WOTY as we refer to it around the office). Every year the ‘New Oxford American Dictionary’ celebrates the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year.
Do you keep the tires on your car properly inflated to maximize your gas mileage? Have you removed the roof rack to streamline the car and reduce drag? Do you turn your engine off rather than idle at long stoplights? If you said yes to any of these questions you just might be a ‘hypermiler’.
All season, the publicity department has been graced with the presence of two wonderful interns, Hanna Oldsman and Alexandra McGinn. (I tried to do a photoshoot, but they ran and hid in the bookroom.) Hopefully this (incredibly witty and well-written) Q&A will show you just how lucky we are to have them.