Word of the Year 2007

  • Russell Brown,

    It's Word of the Year time! Last year Public Address readers voted "unbundled" to the top spot - and created whole new words like "brouhaka". What'll it be for 07? Nominate and discuss your favourites here and be in to win an extremely festive $500 Ezi-Pay Gift Station voucher for Liquorland and two Heineken mini-kegs.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

175 Responses

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  • Richard Llewellyn,

    Its not one word, but I'm amazed how quickly 'its Business Time' has entered the common lexicon (courtesy of Flight of the Concords).

    Even heard the CEO of a prominent corporate using it in a public forum recently - I'm sure Jemaine and Brett would have giggled.

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report Reply

  • Andy Milne,

    I vote for "rotation" as the word of the year. I can't think of a word that packs so much promise, hope, and yet also pain, frustration and anger into just three short syllables.

    Wot, me still bitter? Nah...

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    I vote for "rotation" as the word of the year.

    Heh - I'm completely with you Andy, although my particular gripe was with that other horrible 'r' word, 'reconditioning' - i.e, having the best people for a particular job, and not letting them do it.

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report Reply

  • Andy Milne,

    Yeah I hear that Richaard. OK so that's now a joint entry: "Rotation and Reconditioning". Never before was so much promised, and not delivered, by so few to so many. (Apologies to Churchill)

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Andy Milne,

    Oh and sorry about the extra vowel in your name Richard, lazy typing there. Maybe my fingers need reconditioning?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Carbon is so in this year

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    We've been using "sausage-wallet" at lot over at the Wellingtonista. You can take it as a large scale interpretation of the commercialisation of sex, and the sad state of the world when Girls of the Playboy Mansion is pretty much the most entertaining thing on TV...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    "Sausage-wallet"? Dare I ask?

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    You probably don't want to know....

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Bennett,

    'Migration'

    As in, we're going to try to change everything we do and the way we do it, in order to keep up with changes in technology that we really don't understand. We're going to market the bejesus out of these changes and promise punters a brave new technological world. We hope it works - the IT guys seem confident.

    See: 'Telecom', 'Xtra'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • TroyHoward,

    Wellingtonista has got me thinking.

    Carbonista: A dedicated follower of all the carbon hype.

    Terrorista: A "fabulously!" dedicated follower of all the terrorism hype.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 78 posts Report Reply

  • Conor Roberts,

    For most Kiwi's, before 2007, they would have been like Urewherea?

    Now, at the end of this year, the word everyone knows about is Urewera.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 57 posts Report Reply

  • Alastair Jamieson,

    My vote's for the mulitilingual mashup of Te Qaeda. It's true definition remains to be written...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 99 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Net-Migration is a nice double entendre. As in, when you migrate the net, the net result is migration.

    We've been using "sausage-wallet" at lot over at the Wellingtonista.

    If you've got it, why not use it?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    Wellingtonista has got me thinking.

    That's what we like to hear! Now if only we could get Rex Nicholls to do the same...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    I have two nominations: robust and random.

    When things are going badly in a situation, robust is used by someone in charge who wants to create a sense of calm.

    "Despite the increase in offensive language, Parliament is still a robust forum."
    "Consultants have establish a robust process for the restructuring."

    Random is... OMG, random is just totally random! It's like when something happens that's unexpected or surprising and so you call it random! Even though, scientifically speaking, it's not. Whoa! Random!!!!!

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Jacob Powell,

    Probably only a word seen in the library world, but the terrifying term Guybrarian entered the NZ library vernacular in 07 c/o a NY Times article about 'next gen' librarians in the fashion section(?!)

    The term clearly refers to poor sops like me: the sole male working in my particular corner of the library world.

    Guybrarian received a bit of discussion on the NZ Libs list earlier in the year - mostly pleas by male librarians asking for others not to start using the word to describe them.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    After a robust and random net migration of carbonista guybrarians Urewara Te Qaeda Terroristas rotated their reconditioned sausage wallets.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    a NY Times article about 'next gen' librarians in the fashion section(?!)

    Derailingly, blurgh. Thanks for reminding me of this. There is nothing lamer than a group of librarians talking about how they reach out to Teh Yoof with their awesomeness and their faux-ironic terms like 'guybrarian'. 'We're cool! Honestly! We're "knowledge brokers"! Look how jazzy and fashionable and Web 2.0 we are!' I don't need to be 'rebranded', thanks. Do. Not. Care. I might even start wearing my hair in a bun and shushing people, just to drive all the obsessive Next Generation librarians batty.

    Not that I'm bitter about this, you understand. :)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Jacob Powell,

    ...rotated their reconditioned sausage wallets

    The idea of anybody doing either of those things with their sausage wallets (rotating or reconditioning) is truly disturbing!

    Makes me think of Daniel Radcliffe on Extras (season two)...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Danielle, buns are coming back! And shushing is just playing hard to get, so Next Gen & cool. U r stk wf it, soz.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    After you've had too many sausages in your wallet it starts to get smelly, so reconditioning is a good idea. And rotating it really is the best way to get sausages in without damaging them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • David Haywood,

    Coskriedictory

    Definition:
    The state of simultaneously lobbying for two contradictory outcomes.

    Common examples:
    1. Marching to support freedom of speech while simultaneously lobbying for increased censorship.
    2. Condemning child abuse while simultaneously offering support to people who beat their kids.

    Dunsandel • Since Nov 2006 • 1156 posts Report Reply

  • anjum rahman,

    if we're allowed phrases, how about "mum and dad investors", in light of all the finance company collapses this year? (another one down this morning, i see)

    hamilton • Since Nov 2006 • 130 posts Report Reply

  • Max Call,

    I think David Haywood nomination of 'Coskriedictory' (and definition and examples) are the funniest thing I've read for ages

    Fruit Bowl of New Zealand… • Since Jun 2007 • 153 posts Report Reply

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