How 'Goblin Mode' Became Oxford's Word of the Year (npr.org) 59
This year, Oxford Languages, the creator of the Oxford English Dictionary, titled "goblin mode" as the 2022 Word of the Year, meaning it best reflected the ethos and mood of the past 12 months. The slang term is defined as a "type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations." NPR reports: The term first appeared on Twitter in 2009 but didn't go viral until 2022, according to Oxford Languages. "It captured the prevailing mood of individuals who rejected the idea of returning to 'normal life', or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media," the group wrote in a press release. "People are embracing their inner goblin," said Casper Grathwohl, the president of Oxford Languages.
The Word of the Year is typically based on analyzing language data on emerging words and their popularity. But this year, Oxford Languages incorporated a public vote into the process and asked people to cast their ballot between the top three expressions of the year: "goblin mode," "metaverse" and "#IStandWith." More than 300,000 people voted with an overwhelming majority -- about 93% -- favoring "goblin mode."
The Word of the Year is typically based on analyzing language data on emerging words and their popularity. But this year, Oxford Languages incorporated a public vote into the process and asked people to cast their ballot between the top three expressions of the year: "goblin mode," "metaverse" and "#IStandWith." More than 300,000 people voted with an overwhelming majority -- about 93% -- favoring "goblin mode."
This was the first I've heard of the phrase (Score:5, Funny)
That's not surprising since English is a foreign language to us Americans though.
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That's not surprising since English is a foreign language to us Americans though.
It also sorta seems like Oxford is confused about "words". I mean "Goblin mode" is two words put together. So either they're failing at identifying words, or they need to charge their article to "phrase of the year". Either way, it casts doubt on them being reputable in their field. As if choosing "Goblin mode" wasn't enough to cast doubt.
You'd think experts in a field would be *precise* when talking about their subject matter...but what do I know...Im just sum dipsh3t engineer who can read an talk go
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Pictograph (Score:2)
Goblin mode is a neologism for rejecting societal expectations and living in an unkempt, hedonistic manner without regards to self-image
At last , a condition to which we might relate.
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Sure ok, but have you heard of it before? Have you ever used the phrase in a non-ironic way? Know anyone who has?
Surely, they could have found something better. Given their other activity the last several years they jumped the shark a while ago. Maybe next year they can go with "jumped the shark" as word of the year.
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So ... the internet reinvented the hippies?
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Heh heh... Renamed them, perhaps.
Re:This was the first I've heard of the phrase (Score:4, Insightful)
Most compounds (e.g. outside, policeman, grandmother, etc.) in English are closed (i.e., they don't contain a space) and many others are hyphenated. However, if you saw someone spell ice cream as either icecream (which my autocorrect is grumbling about) or ice-cream, you'd no doubt look at them funny.
That said, I've never heard of the term goblin mode before. I'm not sure I'd use it either. It's not exactly a cromulent word in my opinion.
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"A lot" is, ironically, a non-compound that my English teachers were always trying to train my high school classmates not to use as a closed compound.
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I pick up on a painfully large amount of that bullshit. I've had to explain to other teenagers what it meant when a video threw "your fit's mid" in towards the end. Not one person in my department could even ask a question about based or padoru or sadge, much less answer. I watched Septembers replace marathon with binge. I've watched word after word displaced with an identical meaning, different for the sake of different. Then instantly fizzle away in a few months. See who's still saying drip 24 months from
Re: This was the first I've heard of the phrase (Score:1)
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It starts to remind me of school. Every other month, some word was "in". It was the word, the phrase, you had to say to be cool and you had to come up with as many silly reasons to use it as you possibly could... but only while it was cool. Using it unironically a day after it was replaced made you a pariah.
Social media is pretty much just adults that never managed to grow out of that schoolyard mentality. Possibly because they peaked in junior high and try to maintain that for as long as possible, using th
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That's because it is only known among goblins.
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That's not surprising since English is a foreign language to us Americans though.
"England and America are two countries separated by a common language." - George Bernard Shaw
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English is one of the most mashed-up languages out there, borrowing from everybody and their dog. England was invaded and re-invaded, occupied by sail-away losers of European battles, etc. They built a wall ("Hadrian"), but it didn't work so great. I can't think of a more mashed-up language, can you?
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I'm English and live in England and I've never heard of it before this story.
Ligma (Score:1)
Goblin these nuts. Got 'em!
In other words, Asshole or Prick (Score:5, Insightful)
New name for same old antisocial behaviour.
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Seems like most words/trends in the past 10 years involve narcissism and self-indulgence. When entire generations of people are being raised with the concept that their own happiness is the one and sole important goal in life I really worry for our future as a species.
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Even worse, they want their jobs to have some kind of meaning and social value. What is the world coming to?
Cheese and Rice (Score:2)
Goblin Mode? OKAY, so it's like when you ghost someone on steroids?
What? (Score:2)
Golbin mode is a slang sexual term. Not sure when it got commoditized.
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Like when furries only meant furry.
Don't invoke furries or you'll face their furry fury.
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Like when furries only meant furry.
Don't invoke furries or you'll face their furry fury.
Furry fury-free for me!
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pics or it didn't happen!
So it's like most of these "trends" (Score:2)
Assuming it was ever popular, that was a decade ago - but the 40 and 50 year olds have finally picked it up.
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I am old, but have kids. None of us use the phrase.
The sad, old OED is trying soooo hard to be relevant, it is pushing words at us BEFORE they are in anything like common use.
Pathetic.
Urban Dictionary (Score:3)
Too early to define it? (Score:3)
I have heard the term used in different ways by people who mean different things. In other words, there is no consensus yet on what it even means. I guess Oxford wants to do the job of consolidating colloquial use and defining it.
Given the other options were corporate stuff.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Goblin mode is indeed the best of the three options.
WordyMcWordface (Score:5, Insightful)
I've never heard of "goblin mode" before this /. article. I've heard of beast mode, Depeche mode, Edna Mode (no capes!), and that eco mode setting on my dishwasher that still leaves food behind, but not this.
But this year, Oxford Languages incorporated a public vote into the process and asked people to cast their ballot between the top three expressions of the year: "goblin mode," "metaverse" and "#IStandWith." More than 300,000 people voted with an overwhelming majority -- about 93% -- favoring "goblin mode."
Oh, that explains it. Well, in that case I propose BoatyMcBoatface Effect as honorary word (phrase?) of the year.
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Don't forget mean, median, and mode :)
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So it was like a political election? As in, there is no best, so let's pick the least bad?
2022 (Score:3)
I propose that "2022" be the word of the year. It's still current, it was very hip just a few months ago, it's on the way out and lots of important people died during it.
Vote 2022 cunts!
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I'm not voting for a word that will be irrelevant in 25 days.
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Goblin mode? (Score:1)
Sounds very similar to when someone goes feral or embraces feral behaviour.
Nobody? (Score:2)
What, nobody, not one single slash-dotter, has suggested that "metaverse" will be all but forgotten in five years' time?
No one? Really? Is this April 1, or did I go to the wrong page?
Re: Nobody? (Score:1)
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It's already so forgotten that it wasn't even a thing.
Don't understand (Score:1)
I'm truly confused... (Score:2)
...didn't they say "word" of the year?
I mean... I do not write the dictionary, but at least I boast myself to know the difference between "word" (be it single, compound or with prefixes or suffixes) and "expression" (group of words).
living in a cave (Score:2)
I love Goblin Mode (Score:3)
It outsources all those evil racist clichés to one hated, fantastic subculture.
2023 archaic word of the year (Score:2)
"Goblin mode," Oxford 2023 archaic word of the year.
They literally use a wrong definition of the words (Score:2)
phrase VS word (Score:1)
phrase
a small group of words standing together as a conceptual unit, typically forming a component of a clause.
word
noun 1. a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed. "I don't like the word “unofficial”"
So out of touch or too old? (Score:1)