Every maven and his sisters and his cousins, whom he reckons by the dozens, is pushing a word-of-the-year article or word-of-the-decade article (for that decade that we don’t have a word for, haven’t cared enough about to settle on a word for, and frankly just want to be over).
Even I am not immune to the temptation. So, herewith, my Word of the Year, Word of the Decade:
CRAPTASTIC
A portmanteau word, blending crap and fantastic, not in a favorable connotation, it was particularly beloved among some people whom I know in their descriptions of the work of a particular major media concern. (This description, I realize, will make it impossible for you to narrow the field.)
As a description of the level of public discourse to which we have descended in this waning decade, and particularly as a description of the degeneration of the established news media into drivel, gossip, and irrelevance, it does appear to be the signature word.
Merry Christmas.
Others will suggest this too. I nominate "meep" as a late entry. What better sums up this dismal decade, this pre-decimated century, this where-is-my-jetpack age? Meep!
ReplyDeletePrefer the more explosive, splattershot sound of craptacular.
ReplyDeleteSurely mavens reckon their female relatives "up by dozens" rather than "by the dozens"?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but be reminded of the word "craptacular," a blend of crap and spectacular. I think it was first used on The Simpsons. It seems to have about the same meaning.
ReplyDeleteA Dear John Letter.
ReplyDeleteDear John:
A vertical dotted line between a gray and blue area on a page is a visual distraction.
Solid line, please.
Sign me: Computer-Human Interface Design Whiner
How about crapitalism, a word that implies where my investments went?
ReplyDeletedid you know, Nessie3's "crash blossom" term made the NY Times top words of the year list, too. See Ben Schott's blog on language there for the details.
ReplyDeletecrash blossom made NYTimes list of 2009 words too
ReplyDelete