Remember the word ‘vape’? A decade ago, in 2014 it was the ‘word of the year 2014’ as declared by Oxford when e-cigarettes had become a rage. In the same year, Merriam Webster Dictionaries word of the year was ‘culture’. In 1990, the American Dialect Society first selected a ‘Word of the Year’ at its conference. Over the years many English dictionaries began to announce an annual word or phrase that encapsulates the emotion or thing that caught the imagination of people in the year that went by.

The ‘word’ is chosen by institutions through extensive research. Software gathers millions of words of English each month. Then it gleans the words being searched or used more often in the current context. Dictionary editors contribute to the process. Many institutions ask for suggestions from the public. At the end, a word or term is selected, based primarily on its prominence and relevance in the year gone by.

In 2024, the word of the year for Oxford was ‘Brain rot’. It means “supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.” It reflects the growing concern over the mind numbing effects of overuse of social media. As per Oxford, the usage of the word increased 230% between 2023 and 2024.

Rooted in the 19th-century scientific terminology for light waves, ‘polarization’ encapsulates 2024 for the Merriam Webster Dictionary. According to the dictionary it means, “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially, a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes.” The word was used extensively in 2024 in electoral and political coverage, in work places and social media.

For the Economist magazine, the word of the year in 2024 was ‘Kakistocracy’, meaning the rule of the worst. As opposed to aristocracy, that is rule of the best. It seems to have been coined in English as an antonym of aristocracy and surged in Google searches after the US elections. Its crackling sound makes it somewhat ominous!

The word of the year mirrors what has engaged us, frightened us or inspired us in the year gone by. It brings out the dominant cultural theme and emotion that was important. It is also in many ways a social commentary on the times we live in. ‘Dynamic pricing’ was on the short list for Oxford, but ‘Brain rot’ prevailed. The word of the year captures the zeitgeist of the year that is ending, and serves as a reminder.

In 2024, the ever expanding social media and its impact on human intelligence, as well as its ability to create divisions in society were clearly imprinted on the choice of word of the year. The picture does seem dismal, but the mirror that the words hold for us could inspire us to move towards something better in 2025. The word of the year like any other mirror could reflect a challenge or an opportunity, it is up to us.

Published in Sakal newspaper on 20 January 2025