More Words….

Have you noticed lately that “global warming” has become “climate change crisis?”

This has got to be the fastest politically-correct switcheroo in history. We barely got the t-shirts and bumper stickers printed up before they went and changed the name on us.

I suppose it was to foil those people who saw hellish winters and cold springs and said, “I don’t see any global warming here!” You know, those “global deniers.” Which will probably make it into the dictionary pretty soon on its own.

And speaking of which, here are the most commonly used words on the web and in the media in 2006, from the Global Language Monitor: (descriptions are theirs)

1. Sustainable – Originally a ‘green’ term has moved into the mainstream meaning ‘self-generating’ as in ‘wind power is a sustainable power supply’. Can apply to populations, marriages, agriculture, economies, and the like. The opposite of ‘disposable’.

2. Infonaut – Those who blithely travel along the ‘infobahn’.

3. Hiki Komori – One million young Japanese men who avoid intense societal pressures by withdrawing into their own rooms (and worlds) rarely venturing outside.

4. Planemo -- Planets that didn’t make the cut in 2006 as sustainable planets. Pluto was demoted to a planemo.

5. Netroots -- The activists who have transformed the practice of fundraising and getting out the vote – through cyberspace.

6. Londonistan – Nickname for London as its Asian population swells.

7. Brokeback (Mountain)– A cultural phenomenon (Brokeback, Brokedown, etc.) with almost a million references to Brokeback jokes alone on Google.

8. Ethanol – Proxy for all things ‘green’ and energy independence.

9. Corruption – As in ‘Culture of’; analysis of mid-term elections suggests this was the key for the turnover of the House.

10. Chinese (adj.) – All things Chinese currently in ascendance.

Now taking your nominations for top words of 2007. My favorite so far is “carbon credit.” I’m waiting for the day when I’ll get a junk mail pitch for a carbon credit card.