Well, good Webster doled out the new words for this year. The list came out a couple of weeks ago, and I can’t say that I am thrilled with their decisions. But the last time I checked, I am not the Queen of the United States, so my dismay doesn’t really count. They went and decided these things without consulting ANY of us would-be Queens.
They tacked on 455 entries in all, and the list can be found at the Merriam-Webster site, in full.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-words-in-the-dictionary
Here are a select few, and possibly some comments, from a would-be Queen.
• Air fryer (n.)
“An airtight, usually small electrical appliance for quick cooking of foods by means of convection currents circulated rapidly by a fan.”
I don’t think much of air fryers. In fact, in our house, they seem to border on the “epic fail” scale. I’ve never used the thing, but I’ve seen the results. More so, I’ve heard those results. Most anything cooked in the air fryer sets off our smoke detectors. Perhaps it is operator error. I do not know. But I have experience with the air popper of the 1970s — a hapless device designed for outputting tasteless popcorn which cannot hold salt. I think MW should have footnoted this word with user ratings.
• Amirite (interj.)
“Am I right?” According to Merriam-Webster, the slang term is used to “represent or imitate the use of this phrase as a tag question in informal speech.”
I don’t think much of this word either or of any other words that are slothful. This is a classic example of lazy. Period. Amirite should be reserved for some specific mineral found in nature, perhaps some combination of Americium and Iron Sulfide or something. What do you think? Amirite?
• Breakthrough (n.)
When used in a medical sense, it means “infection occurring in someone who is fully vaccinated against an infectious agent.”
Now, I can’t fully blame MW for this one, but I think the media, or scientists, or whomever, should have chosen a better word. “Breakthrough” to me means some sort of revelation. An explosion of thought. An idea. When people are working to solve a cerebral problem, they will have a “breakthrough” and find the answer.
When used here, in the context of the vaccine, it sounds like a big “fail” and not a triumph.
• Chicharron (N.)
“A small piece of pork belly or pig skin that is fried and eaten usually as a snack.”
To the best of my knowledge, I’ve never eaten a Chicharron. But I think I would like to. Are they like pork rinds, perhaps? Because I like a good pork rind. Come to think of it. There isn’t much on a pig that I won’t eat. Even down to the pig’s foot, as I’ve had those fixed in the most delightful way at a restaurant called FIG. The only thing I’d rather not have is the over-rated pork chop. Usually dry and tough.
• Dadbod (N.)
Defined as “a physique regarded as typical of an average father,” this common piece of internet slang dates back to 2003.
I do not know why this one irks me, but it does. It seems demeaning to me, as if someone with a Dadbod is “less than.” I’ll tell you this. My Dad did not have the most attractive physique in the world. In fact, he was gangly. But he was the most amazing man I have ever met or known in my entire life. Who cares about his Dadbod?
• Fluffernutter (N.)
The word for a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich, fluffernutter dates back to 1961.
Good for them. We need more words like fluffernutter. Banananutter would be good too.
• FTW (ABBRV.)
Abbreviation of “for the win.”
• TBH (Abbrv.)
Abbreviation of “to be honest.”
These two go together. I’m not in support of the whole acronym craze that has transpired over the past 20 years or so. I mean. WTF? SNAFU if you ask me.
So there it is. A brief overview of MW’s list.
Here is the thing about words. They are powerful.
May we all be kind and compassionate enough to wield our swords wisely.
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“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
― George Orwell, 1984
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“Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”
— Rumi
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“I know all those words, but that sentence makes no sense to me.”
― Matt Groening
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