Phrase craze

Tom is worried about his rizz. He wants the world to see him and Megan as a couple, but they are stuck in a situationship which is as tiring as a heat dome.

Is there a beige flag that is putting her off? Has he been trying to deinfluence her too much by complaining about greedflation?

Maybe his feelings about her are parasocial. If only he could find the courage - and words - to ask her!

On Monday the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) named "rizz" as its word of the year. It is believed to be a shortening of "charismaA charm or attractiveness that can inspire others. ".

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary chose "authentic" on the grounds that the line between real and fake has become more and more blurred.

Australia's Macquarie Dictionary chose "cozzie" - short for "cost of livingThe money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes. crisis". The Cambridge Dictionary chose "hallucinate" in the sense of AIA computer programme that has been designed to think.  getting its facts wrong.

Sometimes the word of the year is an old word which has been given a new meaning. Sometimes it is a word which has been around for a few years, but has suddenly become very popular - like "AI" itself.

But the most interesting words are new inventions.  

According to Global Language Monitor, an American organisation, around 5,400 new English words are created every year. Only about 20% of them, though, really catch on.¹

Not surprisingly, many of them are invented by writers. These are known as "authorisms".

Shakespeare came up with many brilliant coinages, including "swagger", "assassination" and "bedazzledTo impress or confuse someone, especially with a striking appearance. ".

MiltonJohn Milton (1608 - 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. came up with 630 words, such as "Earth-shaking," "lovelorn," "fragrance" and "terrific".

Chaucer is responsible for "approach" and "universe". Ben Jonson gave us "rant" and "petulantChildish and bad-tempered.". John Donne invented "self-preservation".

Should we all invent new words?

Yes: The English language is constantly evolving and the more we contribute to it the richer it will be. Every generation has a different view of the world and our vocabulary should reflect that.  

No: Almost everything can be described by the words we already have. You need to have a real gift for coinages, like Milton: many of today's, such as "selfie" and "mansplaining", are incredibly feeble.  

Or... We should devote ourselves instead to bringing back brilliant old ones which have fallen into disuse. "Philanthrobber", meaning a tycoon who gives to charity but cheats the public, is an example.