Brexit inspires Collins’ first-ever ‘Brexicon’
The Collins Dictionary put a spin on its annual word of the year announcement today by releasing its ‘Brexicon’, a list of ten words brought to prominence by Brexit – “for better or for worse.”
‘Cakeism’ – a wish to enjoy two desirable and incompatible alternatives – rubs shoulders with ‘Brexiety’ – a state of heightened anxiety triggered by concerns about the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, whilst other more straightforward terms include ‘no-deal’, ‘remoaner’, and ‘stockpiling’.
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However, it’s not good news for Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson, as ‘to milkshake’ has now been recognised as a verb, defined as the act of throwing the eponymous drink over a public figure in order to humiliate them.
Both men were victim to the frozen delicacy during campaigning earlier this year.
Collins was keen to stress that the dictionary remained politically impartial on Brexit. Helen Newstead, Language Content Consultant at the education group, said:
“The Dictionary has no opinion on Brexit, other than to say it has been quite generous in its gifts to the English language, as well as I am sure inspiring the use of many old-fashioned expletives.
“The Brexicon could be even longer, but as the process continues through this latest ‘flextension’, no doubt more words will emerge until we come to a ‘Brexend’.”
The company also announced its 2019 word of the year, an honour which has in the past been bestowed on “single-use”, “fake news”, and, naturally, Brexit.
This year ‘climate strike’ beat off competition from ‘cancelled’, ‘deepfake’ and ‘non-binary’.
Although the first use of climate strike came back in 2015, the word has seen a 100 times increase in usage this year, the largest of any word on the shortlist.
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Inspired by Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg, climate strikes have spread throughout the world this year, becoming a frequent reality in many of the world’s largest cities.
Newstead said: “Climate strikes can often divide opinion, but they have been inescapable this last year and have even driven a former word of the year, ‘Brexit’ from the top of the news agenda, if only for a short time.”
Main image credit: Getty