Dictionary does heavy lifting for new words
Source: Agencies |
February 5, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE word "shovel-ready," referring to a building project set to start as soon as funding is secured, was yesterday named as the word of the year for 2009 by Australia's largest dictionary.
"Shovel-ready" was among a list of new words chosen by a committee for inclusion in the annual update of the online Macquarie Dictionary.
"The committee felt that this word was associated with one of the major preoccupations of 2009 - how to avoid a recession," the dictionary's editor Susan Butler said.
"Shovel-ready projects were worthy to receive money from the (government's) economic stimulus package because they could provide jobs immediately. It was therefore a word that was topical as well as one that provided a graphic mental image."
As the global financial crisis took hold, the Australian government launched a A$52 billion (US$45.77 billion) package to stimulate its recession-hit economy which led to tax refunds and funding construction projects among other initiatives.
Butler said honorable mentions went to "tweet," referring to the messages posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
Also on the list were "head-nodder," meaning a supporter of someone being interviewed on TV who stands next to them nodding their head in agreement, "cyberbully" and "roar factor," meaning the influence a home crowd has on a referee or umpire.
"Shovel-ready" was among a list of new words chosen by a committee for inclusion in the annual update of the online Macquarie Dictionary.
"The committee felt that this word was associated with one of the major preoccupations of 2009 - how to avoid a recession," the dictionary's editor Susan Butler said.
"Shovel-ready projects were worthy to receive money from the (government's) economic stimulus package because they could provide jobs immediately. It was therefore a word that was topical as well as one that provided a graphic mental image."
As the global financial crisis took hold, the Australian government launched a A$52 billion (US$45.77 billion) package to stimulate its recession-hit economy which led to tax refunds and funding construction projects among other initiatives.
Butler said honorable mentions went to "tweet," referring to the messages posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
Also on the list were "head-nodder," meaning a supporter of someone being interviewed on TV who stands next to them nodding their head in agreement, "cyberbully" and "roar factor," meaning the influence a home crowd has on a referee or umpire.
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