牛津字典2009年度風雲字彙

標題是我自己下的. 會興起找這篇文章的念頭是因為今天和人聊天時聽到funemployed這個字(fun + unemployed),據說是牛津字典最新收錄的字彙,回來後就google一下,在OUPblog搜尋到原文(http://blog.oup.com/2009/11/unfriend/):

 

Birds are singing, the sun is shining and I am joyful first thing in the morning without caffeine. Why you ask? Because it is Word of the Year time (or WOTY as we refer to it around the office).  Every year the New Oxford American Dictionary prepares for the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year.  This announcement is usually applauded by some and derided by others and the ongoing conversation it sparks is always a lot of fun, so I encourage you to let us know what you think in the comments.

Without further ado, the 2009 Word of the Year is: unfriend.

unfriend – verb – To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook.

As in, “I decided to unfriend my roommate on Facebook after we had a fight.”

“It has both currency and potential longevity,” notes Christine Lindberg, Senior Lexicographer for Oxford’s US dictionary program. “In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for Word of the Year. Most “un-” prefixed words are adjectives (unacceptable, unpleasant), and there are certainly some familiar “un-” verbs (uncap, unpack), but “unfriend” is different from the norm. It assumes a verb sense of “friend” that is really not used (at least not since maybe the 17th century!). Unfriend has real lex-appeal.”

Wondering what other new words were considered for the New Oxford American Dictionary 2009 Word of the Year?  Check out the list below.

Technology

hashtag – a # [hash] sign added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets (postings on the Twitter site) that contain similarly tagged items and view thematic sets

intexticated – distracted because texting on a cellphone while driving a vehicle

netbook – a small, very portable laptop computer with limited memory

paywall – a way of blocking access to a part of a website which is only available to paying subscribers

sexting – the sending of sexually explicit texts and pictures by cellphone

Economy

freemium – a business model in which some basic services are provided for free, with the aim of enticing users to pay for additional, premium features or content

funemployed – taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests

zombie bank – a financial institution whose liabilities are greater than its assets, but which continues to operate because of government support

Politics and Current Affairs

Ardi – (Ardipithecus ramidus) oldest known hominid, discovered in Ethiopia during the 1990s and announced to the public in 2009

birther – a conspiracy theorist who challenges President Obama’s birth certificate

choice mom – a person who chooses to be a single mother

death panel – a theoretical body that determines which patients deserve to live, when care is rationed

teabagger -a person, who protests President Obama’s tax policies and stimulus package, often through local demonstrations known as “Tea Party” protests (in allusion to the Boston Tea Party of 1773)

Environment

brown state – a US state that does not have strict environmental regulations

green state – a US state that has strict environmental regulations

ecotown – a town built and run on eco-friendly principles

Novelty Words

deleb – a dead celebrity

tramp stamp – a tattoo on the lower back, usually on a woman

Notable Word Clusters for 2009:

Twitter related: Tweeps Tweetup Twitt Twitterati Twitterature Twitterverse/sphere Retweet Twibe Sweeple Tweepish Tweetaholic Twittermob Twitterhea

Obamaisms: Obamanomics Obamarama Obamasty Obamacons Obamanos Obamanation Obamafication Obamamessiah Obamamama Obamaeur Obamanator Obamaland Obamalicious Obamacles Obamania Obamacracy Obamanon Obamalypse

 

懶得看英文原文的人可以看以下中文報導:

1.http://ohyalinguistics.pixnet.net/blog/post/2308227

 

unfriend刪好友 《牛津》年度風雲字

中時電子報╱尹德瀚／綜合報導 2009-11-18 02:49
調整字級：
中國時報【尹德瀚／綜合報導】

《新牛津美語辭典》（New Oxford American Dictionary）評選二○○九年「年度風雲字彙」（Word of the
Year），最後中選的是「unfriend」，這個新字彙被定性為一個現代動詞，意思是在「臉書」（Facebook）等社交網站把某位朋友刪除掉，其意義廣為人知。

社交網站流行語 美語辭典挑上它

「牛津大學出版社（美國）」（Oxford University Press
USA）美語辭典部門資深編纂克莉絲汀．林博說，unfriend這個字既合時宜且有流傳久遠的潛力，在網路的社交網站脈絡中，其意義廣為人知，已被接納為一個現代動詞，而「年度風雲字彙」挑上它，「是個有意思的選擇」。

其他進入決選的新字彙來自科技趨勢、經濟和政治時事等諸多領域。在科技領域有「intexticated」，意指邊開車邊發簡訊而分神；「sexting」則指利用手機發送帶有露骨性意味的簡訊或圖片。

被視為現代動詞 合時宜又可流傳

入圍的經濟領域新字彙包括「freemium」，意指免費提供某些基本服務的新商業模式；「funemployed」則指剛失業的人趁機尋歡作樂或追求其他興趣。

政治時事領域的新字包括「birther」，意指質疑歐巴馬總統美國出生證明的陰謀理論家；

「choice mom」則指選擇做單親媽媽的人。

另有若干新奇的字詞入圍，如「deleb」，意指死去的名人（dead celebrity）；

「tramp stamp」（賤貨標記）通常指涉女子下背部的刺青。

By 楊楊

 

2.http://blog.cybertranslator.idv.tw/archives/3245

 

《新牛津美語字典》(New Oxford American Dictionary) 16日公佈2009年的年度字彙為「刪除好友」(unfriend)，指的是在 Facebook 等社群網站上將某人從好友名單中刪除。

除非是活躍的微網誌成員，被 unfriend 的人通常都不會察覺。牛津大學出版社美國分社透過網誌宣布，unfriend 這個動詞擊敗其他字拔得頭籌。

牛津出版社資深詞彙編纂者林柏格表示：「在社交網站，人人都懂 unfriend 的意思，所以這個網路用語不僅變成現代日常生活的用語，又榮登年度字彙，是相當有趣的現象。unfriend 具有真正的辭彙吸引力，把它當成現代的動詞使用，所以這個字成為年度字彙，當之無愧。」無獨有偶地，「Facebook」前年也曾經獲選英國《柯林斯英語辭典》(Collins English Dictionary) 的年度單字。

《新牛津美語字典》的其他年度字彙候選單字中，範圍涵蓋了科技潮流、政治、經濟以及時事等不同領域。

科技單字包括容量較小、輕巧好攜帶的小筆電「netbook」，用手機傳送色情簡訊及圖片的「sexting」，及形容人一邊開車一邊傳簡訊而分心的「intexticated」。經濟方面，有利用失業期間享受人生、追求自己興趣的樂失族「funemployed」。

《新牛津》年度字彙候選單字：

• unfriend
  (動詞) 把某人從 Facebook 等網站的好友名單中刪除。
• sexting
  (動詞) 用手機傳送色情簡訊和照片。
• funemployed
  (形容詞) 形容某人利用失業期間享受人生或追求自己的興趣。
• choice mom
  (名詞) 選擇成為單親媽媽的女性。
• deleb
  (名詞) 已故名人。
• netbook
  (名詞) 容量有限、輕巧便於攜帶的小筆電。
• intexticated
  (形容詞) 開車時專注於收發簡訊的；開車時因收發簡訊而分心的。
• birther
  (名詞) 出生質疑者：尤指質疑美國總統歐巴馬出生在肯亞而非夏威夷、因此沒有資格擔任美國總統的人。
• zombie bank
  (名詞) 殭屍銀行：因負債大於資產而無法提供貸款，但由於政府支援而繼續營運的銀行。(綜合外電報導)