Macquarie Dictionary has announced doomscrolling as its Word of the Year 2020.
It means to read news feeds online or on social media, despite the fact that the news is predominantly negative and often upsetting.
Says the committee formed by Macquarie Dictionary to select the word: “A very salient marker of 2020, with its barrage of troubling news, from the bushfires to the US elections and, of course, coronavirus. Doomscrolling is a neat construction, and gives a nod to our modern-day addiction to our digital devices.”
Honourable mentions:
Karen
A noun. Colloquial (derogatory). A term used predominantly to refer to a middle-class white woman, often of generation X, who is regarded as having an entitled, condescending and often racist attitude.
Committee: “A contentious term, but a big one in 2020, from Bunnings stores to the footpaths of St Kilda. The lack of a male equivalent points to the sexist nature of the word – there are definitely plenty of entitled male versions about.
Pyrocumulonimbus
A noun. A cumulonimbus which forms above a source of intense heat, such as a bushfire, volcanic eruption, etc.
Committee: “Who could forget the news stories of last summer, and the images of these massive weather events caused by the fires? A lovely-sounding word for a horror that hit home for us all.”
Macquarie Dictionary also announced RONA as the Committee’s Choice for Covid Word of the Year 2020.
A noun. Colloquial. The coronavirus, COVID-19: We met online during the rona; Rona wrecked their wedding plans. Also, Rona, 'rona, 'Rona. [(CO)RONA(VIRUS)]
Committee: “In true Australian fashion, we started using this shortened version of coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic. It’s neat, it’s quintessentially 2020, and it’s a typical Australian formation.”
Honourable mentions:
COVID normal noun a way of living in which a community takes precautions against the transmission of COVID-19, prior to the availability of an effective vaccine, as a natural part of day-to-day life. Also, COVID-normal.
Committee: “After much reference to ‘the new normal’ in the first months of the coronavirus, COVID normal gave this term a twist to neatly refer to what will be our accepted way of life when community transmission has been halted, but before the wide availability of a vaccine.”
Covidiot noun Colloquial a person who refuses to follow health advice aimed at halting the spread of COVID-19, as by not social distancing, taking part in large gatherings, etc., as well as buying large amounts of perceived staples, especially toilet paper.
[blend of COVID-19 and IDIOT]
Committee: “This appeared very early, but really took hold during Victoria’s second-wave lockdown, during which we saw no end of covidiots on TV – and the occasional maskhole as well.”
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.