Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: The Public Address Word of the Year 2011

Sacha

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:27:42 +1300

Nominations over.
Russell has posted the thread where you go to vote for your top 3 Words.

Sacha

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:26:26 +1300

relevant to the conversation that had just been happening here.

If we don't know you by now

Lindsey Dawson

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:23:42 +1300

Absolutely

Lilith __

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:17:59 +1300

Most are faintly silly if you listen closely.

"I wanna take a ride on your disco stick"

Nope, don't know what you're getting at, Jackie....

Jackie Clark

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:09:47 +1300

I have to take you to task there, Stephen. Since when does relevancy have anything to do with song lyrics? Most are faintly silly if you listen closely.

st ephen

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:06:59 +1300

that’s the relevance I was missing

Ah, but as the Great Bernie showed us, relevance isn't compulsory – just throw something out there and if it doesn't stick, move on:
"If I was a sculptor- but then again, no...."

Sacha

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:47:01 +1300

though I never knew you at all

that's the relevance I was missing

Jackie Clark

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:17:05 +1300

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road where the dogs of society of howl, you can't lock me up in your penthouse..........oh, I finally decided my future lies, beyond the Yellow Brick Rd. It'll take you a couple of vodka and tonics to get back on your feet again.

Jackie Clark

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:13:37 +1300

bingo, buddy!

JacksonP

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:56:21 +1300

I don't know any Taupin lyrics to add to that

Goodbye Norma Jean, though I never knew you at all...

Love your work Jackie.
xo

Sacha

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:22:29 +1300

3-way handshake

A great example of moving beyond text to gesture and clip.
It's another thing I admire about Nekminnit too.

Sacha

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:20:16 +1300

I don't know any Taupin lyrics to add to that

3410

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:16:11 +1300

me? get a popular culture reference?

Yeah. If we don't know you by now, we will never, never, never know you at all.

Morgan Nichol

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:05:54 +1300

Smile and wave.
3-way handshake.

Jackie Clark

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:35:54 +1300

me? get a popular culture reference?

JacksonP

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:15:30 +1300

J1719-1438

Because a diamond as big as a planet just tickles my fancy.

ETA: Also because Diamond Mine by David Kilgour et al is one of my favourite songs of the year.

BenWilson

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:51:24 +1300

What to do with my last month of life....?

Eat, drink, and be merry! Zum Wohl!

Sacha

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:17:37 +1300

you did get the film reference, eh

Sacha

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:17:09 +1300

Groin
Container

points for the gratuitous cricket reference, but

Jackie Clark

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:15:46 +1300

bullshit

Rich Lock

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:05:02 +1300

40 is the new 30

What to do with my last month of life....?

Rich Lock

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:03:44 +1300

(On a )
Mandate
(with a)
Teapot
Nek Minnit...
Liquefaction
Munted
(my)
Groin
Container

If you'd managed to work 'occupy' (occupied) in there at the end, you would have won today's internet.

Love your work, btw.

Sacha

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:46:15 +1300

40 is the new 30

Ian Dalziel

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:34:29 +1300

Soylent green, to be precise
Slogan's Run, innit?

Jolisa

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:18:30 +1300

Near one of the shores... there are many in this city!

Sacha

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:53:49 +1300

Soylent green, to be precise

Sacha

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:53:04 +1300

How do you pronounce it? Letter by letter?

yes

merc

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:49:59 +1300

Danger is; make great green slogans and the old regime will end you.

BenWilson

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:48:20 +1300

I feel sure we can tweak that and use it as a car-pooling slogan somehow...

Make a whole business around that slogan and you'll be the first green job in the new regime.

BenWilson

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:47:35 +1300

Thinking of trading tiny car + bus budget for a family set of jetpacks. Or possibly kayaks.

On the Shore, huh?

Jolisa

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:42:36 +1300

Two men enter, one man leave. But that’s NZ, generally.

I feel sure we can tweak that and use it as a car-pooling slogan somehow...

Jolisa

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:37:36 +1300

How do you pronounce it? Letter by letter? Like "sequins" but with a silent S? Or does "sh" indicate hashtag, thus "shequins"?

BenWilson

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:28:56 +1300

after a shell-shocked first week navigating Thunderdome, uh, I mean Auckland.

Two men enter, one man leave. But that's NZ, generally.

Sacha

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:22:40 +1300

I've only used it verbally with people who are familiar with it in text. Still counts, I reckon.

Moata T

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:08:42 +1300

*curtseys*

Jolisa

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:02:54 +1300

If nobody hears you say "#eqnz" aloud (in a forest or otherwise), can it be a "word" of the year? Or is it more of a symbol?

I'm nominating "MOAR ROADZ" as All-Caps Phrase of the Year, after a shell-shocked first week navigating Thunderdome, uh, I mean Auckland. Thinking of…

Robyn Gallagher

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:38:52 +1300

Out of interest, is EQNZ ever used verbally? Or is it purely an online term?

merc

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:52:10 +1300

The stronger the tea, the better the Man Date.

Glen Wright

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:40:45 +1300

Eurogeddon

Also, funny how the more munted something is, the stronger the mandate.

nzlemming

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:53:05 +1300

#applause

Moata T

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:47:05 +1300

Do I get extra points for using them in a sentence?

(On a )
Mandate
(with a)
Teapot
Nek Minnit...
Liquefaction
Munted
(my)
Groin
Container

adPro

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:29:02 +1300

How about #

Don Christie

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:08:25 +1300

[*] Spring

DexterX

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:12:49 +1300

"Munted" has been in use by the gathering of the Clans Bogan like 4eva. I remember it from as far back as childhood which is (a)eons ago, which is like longer than the longest time you can think of.

BenWilson

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:33:00 +1300

It's been an incredibly eventful year. Far too many things happened for any of them to take precedence. It's been full of surprises, most of them unpleasant, but many with seeds of hope. I think Levi Hawken takes the prize for summing up the Kiwi bemusement at downturns, a wry…

Rich Lock

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:08:53 +1300

Has anyone nominated 'meltdown' yet?

Financial markets, and Fukushima.

Ian Dalziel

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:52:35 +1300

Ooze zoo...
First Citizen and his govt hold the slimest majority
First Citizen and his govt hold the slimiest majority...
There, I fixed that for you...

DexterX

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:35:34 +1300

"Jelviot" – Mindless media persons – prime example would be the women reporter stationed outside John Keys house on election night gushing about the cost/size of First Citizen's compound and how much bigger and more expensive it was than the coumpounds of his neighbours.

Party Vote Jelvis.

DexterX

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:18:01 +1300

"Jellvis" – the portrayl, in most of the media (what ever that now is) of the persona of First Citizen John Key and his happy smiling govt as being more popular than Elvis at his peak – the realtiy being that First Citizen and his govt hold the slimest majority…

Roger

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:53:31 +1300

'Euro-catastrophe' or 'Eurotastrophe'

Bart Janssen

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:38:42 +1300

Haddit, buggered, useless

When I was working in the US I left a note on a broken incubator saying

"stuffed, don't use"

I got several puzzled enquiries as to why I thought the incubator was full when is was clearly empty.

Apparently Americans don't use the word stuffed to mean…

Joe Wylie

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:16:55 +1300

Definitely occupy. Along with its non-English equivalents it's gained a whole new global meaning.

Jean Hughes

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:10:12 +1300

agree with Craig – Occupy –

not explaining the term, but explaining my choice as – 2011 the year it all starts – hopefully

Islander

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:43:14 +1300

graupel

Fortunately it hasnt spread-

Angus Robertson

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:39:02 +1300

New word learnt by Aucklanders in 2011:

graupel

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:02:42 +1300

Refer ease – the fall of an umpire...
and our memories are increasingly full of
references without referents….
there always was an air of the City and the City wafting about Chchch, all the cab ranks used to be named after long-gone establishments, The Grand, Crystal Palace, etc...
and apparently…

Islander

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:02:43 +1300

Not much help I'm afraid – except there is a 99% + vote count?

Fine – for this once I am proud & happy to be in the 1%!

Stewart

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:44:36 +1300

99%

Islander

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:32:38 +1300

Gone viral.

Whut?*
Where?

*sic

Cathy Clarke

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:04:30 +1300

Gone viral.

Islander

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:42:26 +1300

linger *extended* meaning humorously...current useage of 'munted' = haddit/buggered/useless...

Joe Wylie

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:28:10 +1300

But I cant be bothered voting for one that’s been around so long…
Know what you mean. I really thought that munted had gone the way of the long unlamented choice (tschüss, choice), but it's plodded back from the brink with a sort of clubfooted inevitability.

"I thought it was…

Sacha

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:27:55 +1300

even if it has been refreshed by dedicated local usage?

Islander

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:08:37 +1300

I first heard 'munted' from my then 14yrold neice (she's now 29.)

She said her Walkman was munted. I asked, "Er, munted?"
I remember her reply – "Haddit, buggered, useless."

I always welcome new words – created or derived- to the omnivorous English language. But I cant be bothered voting…

Karen White

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:43:47 +1300

My vote is for Munted.

Islander

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:16:07 +1300

I love the way linger has erm refreshed those words!

Geoff Lealand

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:57:51 +1300

Add to that, icon

Kris V

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:51:49 +1300

If we're allowed to vote for least-liked word/s of the year, you know, the ones we'd like to see crawl off and die somewhere, my votes go to resilient and stoic.
Sooooo over it, in every which way.

Bah Humbug to Xmas, roll on Rhythm & Alps.

Sacha

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:26:23 +1300

Hijack

We've been discussing EQC-related matters most recently on the last couple of pages of this thread. I've added a comment this morning about EQC defending its payments to contractors.

Ross Mason

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:11:54 +1300

Hijack. But I plead relationship to last coupla posts.

I DO hope this Chch Earthquake Stuff article is not the first indication that Brownlie et al are getting to their planned end game.

The family just wanted to be paid out so they could move on.
"I don't…

Sofie Bribiesca

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:59:01 +1300

Maybe we could have 2 WOTY's, because Christchurch really has so many and then there are others pertaining to other stuff from all over the world. Both are obviously equal.
Jus' sayin'

Lilith __

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:43:34 +1300

a city became a concept

and our memories are increasingly full of references without referents....

Joe Wylie

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 09:19:44 +1300

who'll wear dismantle?
The Emperor's old clothes?.

we are post-postmodern!
Might as well pick it up, now that academic arts faculties have been all but deconstructed. A dirty job but someone's gotta do it.

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:49:12 +1300

who'll wear dismantle?
for several months the media were incapable of printing or speaking the word “Christchurch” without prefixing the phrase “quake-ravaged”
I'll offer up deconstruction on the same grounds
2011, the year when a city became a concept, and
boy, did they (we) ever __expose its hidden internal
assumptions…

linger

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:03:56 +1300

[edit: brownlee (adj) --> (adv)]

linger

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:50:43 +1300

relaxed (adj): describing the permanent state of
1. John Key’s diction; 2. John Key’s sphincter
as he surveys the nation from his throne.

RWC (n): poorly planned event, with barely passing result achieved.

tsunami (n): …
[definition swept away by events]

linger

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:50:28 +1300

brownlee (adj): canterbury water flow

mandate (n): a prime-ministerial chimp’s tea party

railroaded (adj): describing

National Party approach to lawmaking (but not to public transport);
city councils’ experience of national government.

Biobbs

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:04:11 +1300

...he sure looks like he's been licking some decals off in that video...

Evan Yates

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:46:40 +1300

I think Munted is certainly the NZ "mot de l'année" 2011.

As an aside, I have a problem with "Nek Minnit". I've listened to Levi's rendition in his video multiple times and I'm 100% sure it should have been "Nex Minnit" or even "Neks Minnit".

I know I'm 1 against…

Richard Grevers

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:44:17 +1300

ravaged – because for several months the media were incapable of printing or speaking the word "Christchurch" without prefixing the phrase "quake-ravaged"

Roger Lacey

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:09:20 +1300

Radler
That's Radler (TM) isn't it?

Hilary Stace

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:22:30 +1300

MMP deserves to be on the list now. Although it has been around for almost two decades it has now been confirmed as a NZ institution.

Lilith __

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:13:25 +1300

Just at the moment my WOTY is Mojo!

Gotta love that.

Was wondering what youse were talking about but then I checked the news. YES!!!

Russell Brown

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:56:09 +1300

Just at the moment my WOTY is Mojo!

Gotta love that.

Rachel Prosser

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:47:42 +1300

Yeah. When my 69-year-old father used it down the phone to me from Christchurch earlier this year, you could've knocked me down with a feather. I asked him how things were in Christchurch: he said simply, "it's munted." Words both failed and achieved spectacularly in that one moment.

I had…

Sacha

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:04:44 +1300

People seem not to have been clever enough

Let's not slag voters on a non-political thread, eh.
Election thread over here

hamishm

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:54:13 +1300

Well, partly. The election seemed to have been decided in many people's minds long before it actually took place. I thought Goff did well, aside from his numbers gaffes he was credible and energetic. People seem not to have been clever enough to see it and contrast it with Key's…

Sacha

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:18:00 +1300

The presence or absence of Phil Goff seeming to have no bearing on the poll numbers for Labour

you're joking, right

hamishm

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:02:11 +1300

Given:The people of Epsom ignoring Teapot Drone and doing what they always do, and
Given:The presence or absence of Phil Goff seeming to have no bearing on the poll numbers for Labour, and
Given: The statement by John Key that he would not work with Winston Peters having no effect…

Sofie Bribiesca

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:48:37 +1300

Relaxed. As in the whole world having a hissy fit and our Govt is " Relaxed" about everything.

JLM

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:06:12 +1300

Just at the moment my WOTY is Mojo!

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:46:25 +1300

the spotlight kid...
Portaloo – can be sung to the tune of ABBA's Waterloo
that's super, trouper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY4yFctCKSc&feature=related

Scott A

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:45:09 +1300

Munted would get my vote, too. Mandate a close second too.

But some other topical options for the year could include:

Radler
Skynet
Groin

Bart Janssen

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:50:20 +1300

Some great words for Christchurch's word of the year, but so much else happened this year. #eqjp. Arab spring. NoTW imploding and dragging the Murdochs with it. The debt crisis in Europe. It has been a big year.

Chch had a huge impact for us all, but it's part of…

Hilary Stace

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:49:10 +1300

Brickface – I really enjoyed that Christchurch innovation.

Also LOL seems to have become a mainstream word this year.

Chris Lipscombe

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:53:41 +1300

I'm for munted and nek minnit. Trotie was also an enjoyable moment.

Russell Brown

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:44:52 +1300

I was impressed by how fast #eqjp appeared when Japan had their big quake. Did New Zealanders create/popularise that tag as well?

At a guess, yes.

Sacha

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:42:00 +1300

I was impressed by how fast #eqjp appeared when Japan had their big quake. Did New Zealanders create/popularise that tag as well?

Russell Brown

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:20:40 +1300

backing ‘#eqnz’ and ‘munted’, with runners-up ‘red-stickered’ and ‘nekminnit’

Even though #eqnz was born in 2010, it had a much bigger role in 2011.

It's not just a hashtag, it's a genuine piece of folksonomy: it was created in the wild and it became official simply because people used it.

Sacha

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:19:38 +1300

(by 'there' I meant in that context, not that place)
nurse, caffeine

nzlemming

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:08:38 +1300

Fucking Awesome!!!

Sacha

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:48:40 +1300

Wonder if any Cantabrians have more recently used nekminnit about the quakes (though munted undoubtedly has a stronger claim there)?

Ross Mason

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:42:11 +1300

sixpointthree

6.3

Wrecked 'er scale.

Jackie Clark

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:36:47 +1300

I would go for munted, absolutely. And in Mangere, it has to be said that "nekminnit" is a very strong contender.

Gee

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 04:15:59 +1300

backing '#eqnz' and 'munted', with runners-up 'red-stickered' and 'nekminnit'

Biobbs

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:31:52 +1300

Portaloo – can be sung to the tune of ABBAs Waterloo

My my
The portaloo is too far from my driveway
Oh yeah
And I have needed it all hours of the day
The vindaloo I made myself
Is always repeating itself
Portaloo – sewers all munted, that’s what you’re…

Caleb D'Anvers

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:39:34 +1300

It's got to be Munted. Nothing else has taken over vocabulary and become mainstream in quite the same way.
Yeah. When my 69-year-old father used it down the phone to me from Christchurch earlier this year, you could've knocked me down with a feather. I asked him how things were…

Ross Mason

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:00:52 +1300

"I think they are the things that are important to New Zilinders."

Bart Janssen

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:59:52 +1300

And while I agree it should stand alone, for me this year has been punctuated by breaking news. Some sad beyond belief, some outrageous and some that has changed the shape of the world.

Bart Janssen

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:56:32 +1300

Breaking news

Joe Wylie

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:53:28 +1300

It’s got to be Munted. Nothing else has taken over vocabulary and become mainstream in quite the same way.
Reckon you're right. Just as Munted appeared to be munted, the quakes brought it back.

Rachel Prosser

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:41:02 +1300

It's got to be Munted. Nothing else has taken over vocabulary and become mainstream in quite the same way.

Funnily enough I feel almost hurt that any more trivial word could take precedence given what the phrase "it's munted" represents to me.

Most of the time I think the earthquakes…

Judi Lapsley Miller

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:02:30 +1300

Kia kaha

Isabel Hitchings

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:50:57 +1300

Quake Brain – the state of mental exhaustion you reach after months of being able to do nothing on auto pilot.

Portaloo – can be sung to the tune of ABBAs Waterloo

peterpeasant

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:45:29 +1300

I am (probably) cheating, but I would like to propose "earthquakeprone".

Yeah OK, two words that really ought to be added to a third or fourth ("building (s)").

I would like to know why one building is more likely to experience an earthquake than neighbouring buildings?

I defy any speaking…

Hebe

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:17:35 +1300

Aftershock. Feb 22nd was one, and there have been sooooo many others.And you could call it a state of mind too.
Aftershock, yes yes. Russell?

Sofie Bribiesca

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:08:13 +1300

Yeah,nah.

Tansy

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:52:47 +1300

No one's mentioned SlutWalk yet?
Also, Happy Feet, election, teapot, teapot tapes...
Alternatively, I like planking, ghost-chips, mandate, occupy, liquefaction and a bunch of others that have already been suggested.

Hilary Stace

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:49:33 +1300

Ben Cragg and Sofie – you got there before me. It has to be Occupy. One word which has challenged the old world order this year and still has some evolving to do.

Slutwalk is also a contender.

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:43:16 +1300

Don’t forget to check your word’s funkiness
with this Techno beat generator
Om is a surprise for such a short word...

Geoff Lealand

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:10:21 +1300

"Mums and Dads" ... or the singular form
"Dum and Mad".

Lilith __

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:53:28 +1300

parties where toileting was the number one topic

not so much

You don't know what you've got til it's gone ;-)

Lilith __

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:51:23 +1300

You guys have got pretty damn accurate at estimating over the last year.

We’ve certainly been thoroughly trained. :-)

However, as any Cantab will tell you, every quake is different.
How it feels depends on not just the magnitude but the depth and distance and duration and the type of…

Sofie Bribiesca

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:48:28 +1300

Occupy

Sacha

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:45:22 +1300

there was a lot of talk about fault lines and the mechanics of earthquakes and liquefaction

that went beyond Chch

parties where toileting was the number one topic

not so much

Hebe

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:42:54 +1300

Sinkhole is an awesome word.

Lilith __

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:40:33 +1300

Thinking about the conversations Chch people have with each other this year, there are not only particular earthquake-related words we use constantly, but whole topics of conversation we discuss avidly, that outsiders probably wouldn't.

After Sept 4th and before Feb 22nd there was a lot of talk about fault lines…

nzlemming

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:21:10 +1300

I've been thinking that we should be capitalising on the quake, and improving our overseas earnings, by renting out Cantabs as human seismographs. You guys have got pretty damn accurate at estimating over the last year.

tussock

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:20:06 +1300

Shonkey. 'Cause they fell down, innit.

Lilith __

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:14:56 +1300

Magnitude. A word so overused it's often dropped..."Do you reckon that was a 4.5?", "Nah, that was at least a 4.7!"

Joe Wylie

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:57:37 +1300

Not a word; but next year I reckon the book to write is “Decorating with Duct Tape”.
Gaffer it.

Russell C

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:45:29 +1300

How about the following slightly meaningless government faves 'shared services', 'back office' and it's companion 'frontline'.

Hebe

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:45:27 +1300

Geotech (I admit to being a little obsessive here, but a word contest like this is depth-charging all sorts of stuff...)

fracking

Now I go on holiday (literally). first escape this year. Yeehah. Bye. Have a lovely Christmas, or not if your tastes run that way. And thanks all for…

Lilith __

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:44:50 +1300

Aftershock. Feb 22nd was one, and there have been sooooo many others.

I’ve noticed myself and a lot of other Cantabrians using “shake” instead of “quake”, maybe after a certain number of earthquakes, “quake” starts to sound like over-dramatising? “Did you feel that shake earlier?”, “If we have a big…

Hebe

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:37:04 +1300

EQC

nzlemming

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:32:50 +1300

word…

This.

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:26:58 +1300

word...

Oblomova

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:20:40 +1300

This year the verbal tic that has most irritated me is the increasing tendency for people to start statements, and particularly in responding to question, with "so".

Hebe

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:52:38 +1300

Fuckgedunderthetable/doorway/outside — Most used parenting phrase in Christchurch this year.

Then; a minute later: SorryIdidn'tmeantoswear.

Most used in general section: "That was big." ( and Emma Hart was nowhere near.)

Most used overall (includes texts): R u ok

Honorable mention for the most weaselish: Dynamic

PaulC

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:55:36 +1300

Mandate ...

Joe Wylie

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:54:34 +1300

The NZ version of "don't you worry about that", methinks?
As long as we're in the wacky world of Joh Bjelke-speak, was the Epsom tea party an example of "feeding the chooks", Premier Joh's favourite phrase for dealing with the media?

Kumara Republic

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:48:52 +1300

“Look”, or maybe, “Oh, look”. Government ministers use it all the time in interviews when they want to dismiss a tricky question while seeming to be “relaxed” (John Key’s word for 2011).

The NZ version of "don't you worry about that", methinks?

Alf Beater

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:28:56 +1300

"Look", or maybe, "Oh, look". Government ministers use it all the time in interviews when they want to dismiss a tricky question while seeming to be "relaxed" (John Key's word for 2011).

Anonymous Author

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:11:42 +1300

PS: Does the word(s) have to have been used? Or can we build one from events??

Do you mean like this?
Cessna.
As in: Some people believe that when compared with Pippa her sister is a Cessna*.

*little plane
(I, of course, would neither objectify the person nor personify the…

Angus Robertson

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:07:07 +1300

Haircut

merc

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:06:32 +1300

Bumpads.

Anonymous Author

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:03:14 +1300

Phone hacking.
Fracking.
Zumwohl.
Nunniversary.
The price of milk.
Pippa Middleton.
Pippa Middleton's sister.

Angus Robertson

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:47:40 +1300

rebuild phase

James Butler

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:45:23 +1300

"White-Anting"

Kumara Republic

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:43:40 +1300

Prostetnic Vogon Joyce.

Breivikisation.

Berlusconification.

Angus Robertson

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:40:17 +1300

munted

wellywood

Angus Robertson

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:33:09 +1300

Liquifaction

Angus Robertson

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:29:09 +1300

Seismic shift.

Sara/Cera.

Sir Stephen Donald.

Ross Mason

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:08:10 +1300

McCully?

Trains?

Auckland Public Transport?

Party Central?

Emergency Button?

PS: Does the word(s) have to have been used? Or can we build one from events??

Phil Light

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:07:11 +1300

Red zone?

artig

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:03:47 +1300

yaknow

Seems to be creeping in everywhere as a placeholder when explaining something that the listener obviously does not know. Sometimes, yaknow, I just can't help counting the number of yaknows speakers use, especially when they start out, yaknow, with two or more in a single sentence.

TracyMac

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:01:52 +1300

Jack, complety and utterly OT, but where do you get your tattoos done in Wgtn?

Jeremy Andrew

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:28:41 +1300

I'll put a bid in on Murdoch, per et fil. Both worthy of their A Team namesake, and chewed up many, many column inches on and off-line.

casahuia

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:51:47 +1300

Anyone else thing ACT should officially rebrand as the Tea Party?

Steve Barnes

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:15:19 +1300

Just gotta be Nekminuite.

Rowan Crawford

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:08:01 +1300

CGT

#HipstersForGoldsmith

TROTIE

Joshua Arbury

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:05:40 +1300

A vote here for earthquake or #eqnz . I suspect in 20 years time that's how we'll look back at 2011. What a mad year.

Richard Grevers

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:55:08 +1300

Dan Carter's groin

Did you have to mention groins, David? Now you appear to have jinxed Vettori's as well!

Richard Grevers

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:53:46 +1300

Asset – as in something worth holding on to.

Simon Bennett

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:35:02 +1300

Governance – another nasty word that seems to be everywhere and used as a general excuse for apathy.

Simon Bennett

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:34:15 +1300

Stakeholders

Mike Graham

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:30:55 +1300

astrolabed

This could be applied to many things this year, but fortunately not the RWC Final, although the opening night almost was.

Andre

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:21:19 +1300

Inzequality

Andre

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:11:42 +1300

Super City

Andre

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:10:22 +1300

Off like Goff...

Andre

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:05:20 +1300

Oil disaster response

Andre

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:03:05 +1300

Rena

LegBreak

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:02:24 +1300

On the RWC theme, I guess Quadetastic never really took off

Ben Curran

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:01:28 +1300

Munted. It can be applied to so many parts of the year. Earthquakes, politics, economics, sanity ....

casahuia

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:59:43 +1300

Flash-mob and Pop-up have to be the most in vogue and over used concepts....

There seems to be a pop-up flash-mob haka plank teapot on every red-stickered quake affected corner of this fine land! Makes me want to take a leaf out of Mr Plastic Fantastic's book (JK not the…

Alf Beater

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:58:49 +1300

"Leverage". I have no idea what it means but every dang fool uses it now, consarn it!

Grant McDougall

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:24:53 +1300

Beaver

Dan couldn't, Colin couldn't, Aaron couldn't, but leave it to Beaver and he could.

Grant McDougall

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:22:08 +1300

Eight

As in New Zealand eight, France seven.

For the All Blacks' winning the RWC has been a highlight for many NZers, bringing to an end years of misery and choking and being a much-needed ray of sunshine in an otherwise – no pun intended – trying year.

Paul Webber

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:18:50 +1300

I propose "fuckeulogy." Not a PA ecosystem word, I know, but definitely the best neologism I’ve heard this year.

A fuckeulogy is an oration or writing for a recently deceased person who, in the opinion of the author, has no redeeming qualities and who not be missed in any…

Russell Clarke

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:18:17 +1300

"Naturally I finished my set"

Lucy Telfar Barnard

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:16:21 +1300

Liquifudge?

James Butler

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:15:03 +1300

so Ghost-Jobs as Paul mentioned, but with a capital J. Double whammy.

Someone else will have to do the obligatory "You know I can't grab your ghost jobs, Ghost Jobs!" photoshop. I'm supposed to be working.

Rich Lock

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:12:45 +1300

Economy-related words: double-dip

According to one news-digest I get every morning, the UK is now staring down the barrel of a triple-dip recession.

So, I'll get my nomination in for WotY 2012 now: triple-dip.

Sacha

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:09:02 +1300

Not a nomination, but all interested in local wordplay may enjoy Danyl's brilliant channelling of Shelley Bridgeman's literary genius.

JacksonP

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:08:50 +1300

Planking.

Anonymous Author

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:06:50 +1300

I point to Greenfieldism and I point to word of the year. That is all.

JacksonP

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:05:14 +1300

The word 'humblebrag' was apparently coined in 2011.

Seems like I've been doing it for much longer. ;-)

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:03:56 +1300

Bleak farce at Tyranny's...
...to cup of tea
Capote you say?
that's so true, man,
it was rather done
in cold blood...

JacksonP

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:02:53 +1300

Have we got our bunga bunga on yet?

Berlusconi might work also. Well, he didn't work. Which is I guess the point.

Sacha

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:58:40 +1300

neolib :)

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:57:31 +1300

setting the epicene...
I still say twatcock was gendered
it definitely ain't neutered,
positively hermaphroditic,
an embodiment of mixed
member representation!

David R

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:55:52 +1300

so Ghost-Jobs as Paul mentioned, but with a capital J. Double whammy.

merc

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:54:53 +1300

It's a private meaning.

Lew Stoddart

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:52:30 +1300

I have a theory – the best nominations for Word of the Year stand on their own with out needing to be explained.

I endorse this theory, and think it so powerful that there's no need to talk about it any further.

Anonymous Author

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:50:37 +1300

Like a ghost-dictionary?

dc_red

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:49:34 +1300

captured the zeitgeist of 2011 by being simultaneously ludicrous and disastrous.

Are you thinking of the Republican Party nomination process by chance?

Sacha

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:48:21 +1300

Or "Treasury Forecast". But that's really a phrase of the last 3-5 years I guess.

certainly more useful in retrospect, in any case.

Anonymous Author

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:45:32 +1300

Planking.
Unwittingly captured the zeitgeist of 2011 by being simultaneously ludicrous and disastrous.

Robyn Gallagher

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:45:18 +1300

I have a theory – the best nominations for Word of the Year stand on their own with out needing to be explained.

James Butler

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:39:51 +1300

Or just "Jobs", for the politicos and Apple fanbois both.