'Gangnam Style' makes words of the year list
Source: Agencies |
December 21, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
HE has the most-watched video in Youtube history, become a pop sensation with a horse-riding dance craze that has swept the world and now Korean singer Psy may cement his place in popular culture with recognition from a British dictionary.
"Gangnam Style," Psy's signature song, has been chosen along with "fiscal cliff" and "Romneyshambles" as some of Collins Dictionary's words of the year.
"We were looking for words that told the story of the year," said Ian Brookes, the dictionary's consultant editor.
"Some words are from events that have been and gone and so are not likely to stick around ... but others are probably here to stay."
Other headline entries centered on American politics. "Fiscal cliff" has drawn a lot of attention as the deadline for Congress and President Obama to agree on government spending and tax plans draws nearer.
The term "Romneyshambles" entered the British public's consciousness after Mitt Romney's gaffe-ridden visit to London in July in which he questioned Britain's readiness to host the Summer Olympics.
In another term referring to Romney, "47 percent" made the list. It was about a leaked video showed Romney telling donors that 47 percent of Americans would definitely vote for Obama because of their dependency on the government. It's inclusion on the list capped off a bad year for the losing presidential candidate.
Collins received over 7,000 submissions on its online database.
Twelve words of the year - one for each month - were then selected on the basis of the frequency with which they were spoken, how many places they appeared and their longevity in public discourse.
"Gangnam Style," Psy's signature song, has been chosen along with "fiscal cliff" and "Romneyshambles" as some of Collins Dictionary's words of the year.
"We were looking for words that told the story of the year," said Ian Brookes, the dictionary's consultant editor.
"Some words are from events that have been and gone and so are not likely to stick around ... but others are probably here to stay."
Other headline entries centered on American politics. "Fiscal cliff" has drawn a lot of attention as the deadline for Congress and President Obama to agree on government spending and tax plans draws nearer.
The term "Romneyshambles" entered the British public's consciousness after Mitt Romney's gaffe-ridden visit to London in July in which he questioned Britain's readiness to host the Summer Olympics.
In another term referring to Romney, "47 percent" made the list. It was about a leaked video showed Romney telling donors that 47 percent of Americans would definitely vote for Obama because of their dependency on the government. It's inclusion on the list capped off a bad year for the losing presidential candidate.
Collins received over 7,000 submissions on its online database.
Twelve words of the year - one for each month - were then selected on the basis of the frequency with which they were spoken, how many places they appeared and their longevity in public discourse.
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