WOTY stands for Word of the Year

So what is it? Different dictionaries suggest different words. But before we start, let’s talk about the history of this tradition.

Word of the Year is held in various countries and regions in order to identify the most relevant, significant and popular words and expressions. The choice of the “word of the year” is carried out most often by an expert jury or public opinion poll.

For the first time, the action “Wort des Jahres” was held in Germany in 1971 at the initiative of the German Language Society, the adjective “aufmüpfig” – “obstinate, rebellious” was chosen as the winner, which became popular in the German media in the 60s and 70s.

The “Word of the year” campaign in the USA is carried out by various organizations independently of each other. Since 2006 – according to the version of the publishing house “Merriam-Webster”. Since 2004 – according to the version of the Oxford University Press. Since 2004, American lexicologist Grant Barrett has published his list of “words of the year” in The New York Times.

The UK Word of the Year selection is also conducted by Oxford University Press. Sometimes “words of the year” coincide in the American and British regions (for example, “chav” – “chav” (2004), “selfie” – “selfie” (2013)). In Australia, the action is supported by the Australian English “Macquarie Dictionary”, since 2006, every February two versions of the “word of the year” have been presented: according to the jury’s version and on the basis of public voting.