Viral Vernacular, COVID Communication

"Language is a reflection of the world around us and 2020 has been dominated by the global pandemic"           -Helen Newstead, Collins Dictionary language consultant, as reported by BBC on 11-23-20

Time honored traditions: My most recent post (11-22) was a reflection on a year-end tradition that will undoubtedly take on special significance for all of you. Another tradition at this time of year for many dictionaries, institutions that study language and communication, and worldwide wordsmiths, is to consider various words that have come into prominence as well as those that we may wish to banish. To say the methods by which we communicate as well as the content have been altered by COVID would have to be itself one of the understatements of the year. I have written here a few times regarding how our exchange and expression of intimacy in particular has been altered, admittedly diminished in some ways, but not eliminated. This will focus more on the content of our language this year, the influence of the pandemic on our viral vocabularies, and the new significance of various expressions.

Pandemic phraseology, a qualified success: When something we have been laboring over or endeavoring to accomplish is a "qualified success" we are implying if not explicitly acknowledging it's a partial success. Sometimes a sign of humility, that we have room to improve, whereas others a sign of frustration we have come up short of our original goal. Another way to express this would be a 'semi-success' (from the 1977 movie "Semi-Tough" starring Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, and Jill Clayburgh) or, in a more contemporary terms in our society, -'ish'! Various forms of equivocation.                    Throughout the year, more so since March, I have heard and witnessed a steady rise in how most of us qualify experiences that were previously considered routine, commonplace, and/or unexciting, but now of more importance when we are conveying them to each other as part of our daily report: "I saw John and Melissa at the store today...AT A DISTANCE!...Mom, I was hanging out with my friends today...OUTSIDE,MASKED, AND DISTANCED!...We took food to our relatives on Thanksgiving...AND LEFT IT ON THE PORCH! Yes, we are now pressed, obligated to ensure the listener (from a distance!) that we are following the new rules of etiquette by both our choice of words and more emphatically stated this time around. How long this trend will continue is anyone's guess at this point...

Universal rise in usage, falling out of favor: The Oxford English Dictionary has expanded its "word of the year" tradition to encompass several "words of an unprecedented year". Use of the word pandemic (no surprise here, no drum roll needed) itself increased more than 57,000% this year (and the year's not even over so you guess the final count). Other words reflecting or emanating from the pandemic on the OED list include coronavirus, Covid, lockdown, furlough, and the the combination support bubbles. The Collins Dictionary generally agrees but adds keyworker and the word combo self-isolate. All ring familiar by now, I bet with (primarily negative) resonance like the songs you have come to detest, such as "Call me, maybe", "Let it Go" (uh oh, that dreaded tune is back!)...or, in the next few weeks, those that collectively have given you a Christmas carol hangover.                                                       Conversely, a long held tradition of other 'wordly wise' groups, such as Lake Superior State University, is to issue an annual list of words to be banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse, or general uselessness. In advance of the finalists, I offer you here a list of those words and phrases that have fallen out of favor with most of you, those you can't say "bye-bye!" to fast enough. I would have to include almost all of the words the two noted dictionaries listed, given the negative association they have all taken on. While the usage will obviously continue well into 2021, perhaps we can find new contexts to at least dilute their 'toxicity'. Other phrases I/you would likely endorse include: "Bubble buddies", "It is what it is", and "social (versus physical) distancing". I'm sure there are others you would vote for. If so, make sure you get your ballot to me before December 31st., as it could otherwise result in a "recount" (another word to banish).                                                                                                               

       In the meantime, I wonder what the NFL will do when/if we also vote to banish the term "face masks"... Oh yes, one more--I'll probably have to rename this blog, when the word 'viral' no longer goes viral, but instead goes into the OUT basket, but that's for another day...