Oxford Dictionary Cannot Choose the Word Of the Year 2020

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Posted: December 16, 2020

Updated: December 16, 2020

  • Every November, the Oxford Dictionary selects the main word of the past year.
  • Besides, people all over the world make their bets while guessing which word it will be.
  • In 2020, linguists were unable to choose a single word to describe the year.
  • In this article, we will explain why the Oxford Dictionary cannot choose the word of the year 2020.

Every November, the Oxford Dictionary selects the main word of the past year. Besides, people all over the world make their bets while guessing which word it will be. However, this year is not the same. In 2020, linguists were unable to choose a single word to describe the year. In this article, we will explain why the Oxford Dictionary cannot choose the word of the year 2020 and why this bet might be canceled.

This year linguists released a 38-page report of the Words of an Unprecedented Year. The experts have decided that 2020 is not a year that can be summed up in one word. And it is truly so! Instead of defining a single word in 2020, the Oxford Dictionary issued a report analyzing new phenomena in the language. This is stated on the website of the Oxford Languages. But what should all the bettors on online sportsbook sites in the UK do? The bet for the Word of the Year is one of the most popular so who is going to win if the word isn’t chosen? Let’s find out!

How do they define the Word of the Year?

In 2018, the Oxford Dictionary recognized toxic as the word of 2018. It is this adjective, as experts have decided, that has added many nuances to the “spirit of the coming year” and could potentially become a “term of cultural significance.” “Mentions of toxic chemicals are especially important this year, as the poisoning by a nerve agent of a former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain shocked the whole world,” the scientists explained at the time.

In 2019, the word of the year was the phrase “climate emergency”. By definition, this expression means a situation in which urgent action is needed to reduce or curb climate change. Also, it implies an action to prevent reversible damage to the environment. Besides, you could make your bet in the 1xBET Sportsbook and win a lot of money in previous years. However, in 2020, everything has changed. The Oxford Dictionary cannot choose the Word of the Year 2020. Therefore, linguists chose the main words for each month. There are 16 of them in total. They are given in the report “2020. The words of an unprecedented year. ” Besides, you can download this report from the Oxford Dictionary website.

“The English language, like all of us, has had to adapt quickly and repeatedly this year. Therefore, we decided to tell in detail about the phenomenal scale of language changes during 2020, which were observed by our team of experienced lexicographers, ”the report says. Another interesting detail: linguists compared how the use of some words has changed this year. For example, in 2019, the word “remote” was used in combination with the words village, island, control, location, and tracking. This year, other words are associated with remote: study, work, labor, training, and tracking.

Why the Oxford Dictionary cannot choose the Word of the Year 2020

Indeed, no one can describe this year in one single word. Thus, the lexicographers of the Oxford Dictionary have chosen from one to three main words for each month, beginning in January and ending in October. The words were related to the month when they reached their maximum frequency of use. Besides, everyone who was interested in the topic of language could join a webinar with dictionary editors on December 10. They talked about the approach that linguists use to observe language and answer questions from listeners. In our article, we have prepared a small review of the words which had the biggest odds on the online sportsbook sites in the UK.

Oxford dictionary cannot choose the Word of the Year 2020
Let’s bet on words!

The most popular words of winter 2020

In January, the experts voted for the “Bushfire” to be the word of the month. It became widely used due to the natural fires in Australia. Unfortunately, they lasted from September 2019 to March 2020 and killed about three billion animals. However, pretty soon the word “impeachment” took the first place. It was chosen because of the procedure of impeachment of US President Donald Trump, which started in 2019 by Democrats in the House of Representatives. The reason for the impeachment was Trump’s conversation with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Later on, the “acquittal” reached the TOP list. Indeed, the frequency of using this word reached its peak against the background of the decision of the US Senate to stop the impeachment of Trump. Let’s remember how Senate Impeachment Trial Odds Favor President Trump To Not Be Convicted in the 1xBET Sportsbooks.

Oxford dictionary cannot choose the Word of the Year 2020 in spring and summer

The spring of 2020 just couldn’t fit into one world. You all know what linguists associate spring with. Therefore, let’s omit the obvious part and move to summer. In June of 2020, “Black Lives Matter” became the phrase of the month. For those, who still do not know it is the name of an American social movement in defense of the rights of the Afro-American population of the USA. It became the word of the month because of protests against racism and police violence in the States.

In July, “cancel culture” took the first place. It means public criticism or boycott (usually on social media) of famous people and companies because of their behavior or statements if they seem offensive or inappropriate to someone. Besides, people overused the “BIPOC” (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) abbreviation. Whereas in August,  “mail-in” joined the list of the most popular words. It became the word of the month because of the mass mail voting in the US presidential election and the criticism of such a vote by Donald Trump. And as for the popular adjectives, “Belarusian” appeared to be the most used. The experts chose it because of the protests in Belarus. They began after the August 9 presidential election and continue to this day.

Oxford dictionary cannot choose the Word of the Year 2020
What’s it going to be?

The most popular words of autumn 2020

The Oxford dictionary cannot choose the word of the year 2020 because of so many important events that happened each month. In September, the word of the month appeared to be “Moonshot”. This word refers to “flight to the moon”, but it is also used to mean “ambitious and innovative project”. They give the name “Moonshot” to the program of the British government. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson announced the program in early September. Therefore, many people voted for this word on the online sportsbook sites in the UK.

Later on, in October, “No zero” appeared on the list. This word refers to the goal of minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and introducing methods for their absorption from the atmosphere (for example, through reforestation). It became the word of the month because of China’s promise to completely stop emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 2060. The words Oxford Dictionary have not yet chosen the words of November and December. Therefore, you can still make your bet in the 1xBET Sportsbook. And for those who look for something certain we have our article about Time Magazine Person of the Year 2020. The results are already there. People in Time Magazine seem to be more decisive than in the Oxford Dictionary!

You can discover more about 1xBET Sportsbook here.

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