Interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition” about Word of the Year candidates for 2012 (Dec. 28, 2012).
There is a major decision coming up that will truly define the year 2012. Yes, it’s almost time for the American Dialect Society to once again vote on the Word of the Year. Will it be selfie? Hate-watching? Superstorm? Double down? Fiscal cliff? Or (shudder) YOLO?
Ben Zimmer is a language columnist for The Boston Globe and chairman of the American Dialect Society’s New Words Committee. He tells NPR’s Renee Montagne that the Word of the Year can be either a word or a phrase, as long as it’s achieved new prominence in 2012.
(Show page, audio, related Word Routes column, Boston Globe column)