"Lockdown" encapsulates 2020
Source: Matt Seymour on Unsplash
Covid-19: 'Lockdown' declared Collins Dictionary word of the year
"Lockdown" has been declared the word of the year for 2020 by Collins Dictionary, after a sharp rise in its usage during the pandemic.
It "encapsulates the shared experience of billions of people", Collins said.
Lexicographers registered more than 250,000 usages of "lockdown" during 2020, up from just 4,000 last year.
Other pandemic-linked terms on the 10-strong list include "furlough", "key worker", "self-isolate" and "social distancing" as well as "coronavirus".
According to the dictionary, lockdown is defined as "the imposition of stringent restrictions on travel, social interaction, and access to public spaces".
It came into common parlance as governments around the world responded to the spread of Covid-19 in early 2020 by placing strict measures to stop transmission of the virus.
Non-virus related words to make the list reflect the social and political upheavals of 2020.
Following the death of the unarmed black man George Floyd in the US the abbreviation "BLM", for the Black Lives Matter movement, features having registered a 581% increase in usage, according to Collins.
"Megxit", the term modelled on the word Brexit which was used for the withdrawal of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from royal duties also makes the list.
Social media also plays its part with "TikToker", describing someone who shares content on platform TikTok and "mukbang" - a term originating in South Korea which describes a host who broadcasts videos of themselves eating large quantities of food.
Helen Newstead, language content consultant at Collins, said: "Language is a reflection of the world around us and 2020 has been dominated by the global pandemic.
"Lockdown has affected the way we work, study, shop, and socialize.
"With many countries entering a second lockdown, it is not a word of the year to celebrate but it is, perhaps, one that sums up the year for most of the world"
Last year's Collins word of the year was "climate strike", marking a year in which 17-year-old Greta Thunberg led a global environmental movement.
Previous Collins words of the year
2019: Climate strike
2018: Single-use
2017: Fake news
2016: Brexit
2015: Binge-watch
2014: Photobomb
2013: Geek
The Oxford English Dictionary also choose their own word of the year, opting for "climate emergency" in 2019, "toxic" in 2018, "youthquake" in 2017 and "post-truth" in 2016.
Related blogposts:
Comments
I don´t know what have been fundaments which have taken Collins Dictionary to choose lockdown as the word of the year for 2020. It must have other words more known. A big squad of Collins has been looking for the word more common and they have found it after working like a dog. LOL.
Lockdown will be a sad word for us for ever. Very sad indeed. Lockdown encapsulates our situation of sore and distress. We are self-isolate, upheaval, scare, insecure, with stringent social distancing and, soon, crazy.
Do you remember when was the last time you play a marathon? Our life has changed deeply. We are afraid looking us in the mask each other to be not infected. It seems we are enemies. The government says that you have to care yourself for you can care other one. This behaviour is different before. I hope we don´t forget our good manners.
See you.
It's certainly been a strange year.
I don´t know what the fundaments which led to Collins Dictionary choosing lockdown as the word of the year for 2020 were. It must have other words which are nore known. A big squad at Collins has been looking for the most common word and they found it after working like a dog. LOL.
Lockdown will be a sad word for us for ever. Very sad indeed. Lockdown encapsulates our situation of pain and distress. We have self-isolated, experienced upheaval, fear, insecurity, and stringent social distancing which has made many of us turn crazy.
Do you remember when the last time you ran a marathon was? Our life has changed dramatically. We are afraid to look at each other's mask so as not to be infected. It seems we are enemies. The government says that you have to care of yourself so that you can care for others. This behaviour is different from before. I hope we don´t forget our good manners.