Word of the Year 2022

As usual at the end of every year, it is enlightening to look back at the top-rated words worldwide, based on different sources. Interestingly this time I came across Russian words of the year that reflect the war on Ukraine. In an article by Michele Berdy, The Moscow Times reports that, every year, a group of word enthusiasts, led by linguist and professor of Russian language and literature Mikhail Epstein, identify the words that capture the spirit of the year. Unfortunately, in the past year, most of these words related to war. By 2022, Covid-related terms had almost disappeared from everyday speech, to be replaced with military-related terms, the top three words being a word for war/ military and words for mobilization and relocation. Other words of the year include terms for refugees, sanctions, and occupation. In the category of expressions of the year, the top one refers to “special military operation”, the second being an expression for “no to war”.

The Merriam-Webster word of the year, lookups for which had risen by 1740%, is gaslighting: “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage”. It is reported to be used in both personal and political contexts, especially in relation to fake news, deepfakes, and artificial intelligence. Derived from the title of a 1938 play and movie, the origin of the word sheds light on its meaning.  In the story, a man attempting to convince his wife that she is going insane causes the gaslights of the house to dim due to work he is doing in the attic but has his wife believe that she is imagining that or hallucinating. According to Merriam-Webster, the initial meaning of the term was one of “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator”. Part of a “deliberate conspiracy to deceive”, it relates to lies that prop up a “larger plan”.

The second Merriam-Webster word of the year, inspired by western sanctions on Russian leaders and their families is oligarch, from oligarchy (rule of the few). The third term is omicron, the Covid 19 variant.

The Oxford word of the year is goblin mode, slang for "unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy" behaviour. Though first used in 2009, it proliferated greatly after Covid restrictions were eased, referring to people who did not want to return to the old way of life. The second top-rated word is metaverse, followed by #IStandWith.

Referring to the difficult times the UK is experiencing, permacrisis is the Collins word of the year, a term for “an extended period of instability and insecurity”. It also applies to global issues such as the war in Ukraine, climate change, and the cost-of-living crisis.

In Lebanon I would say the Arabic word for collapse should be considered the word of the year, followed closely by that for corruption.