by Ronald Constantino
Last year, “youthquake” had a five-fold increase in usage, noting the huge youth turnout in Britain’s and New Zealand’s elections.
The word was first coined in 1965 by the Vogue editor Diana Vreeland to describe how youth culture was changing fashion and music.
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SHORTLISTED – “Youthquake” beat eight other words which were also shortlisted. They included:
“Milkshake duck” – Person or thing that initially inspires delight on social media but is soon revealed to have distasteful or repugnant past.
“White fragility” – Discomfort and defensiveness on the part of a white person when confronted by information about racial inequality and injustice.
“Broflake” – A man who is readily upset or offended by progressive attitudes that conflict with his more conventional or conservative views.
“Newsjacking” – Taking advantage of current events to promote a brand.
(Agence France Press released the Oxford’s word of the year. Other dictionaries choices “complicit,” “fake news,” and “feminism.”)
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‘LODI’ – Read in the Hotspot column of Tonyo Cruz (Manila Bulletin, December 9, 2017) that the popular showbiz word or slang “lodi” (idol) has another meaning.
“LODI” – stands for Let’s Organize for Democracy and Integrity. It’s a loose and broad alliance of artists, journalists, and media workers who stand for truth and democracy. Mr. Cruz quotes the late Lino Brocka, National Artist and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, who fought the Marcos dictatorship. “Artists in all fields, journalists, and media workers do not exist in a vacuum. A society enveloped by fear and repression is inimical to the development of the arts and the press.
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‘WHATEVER’ – By the way, “Whatever” continues to annoy Americans most. This according to the annual Marist College poll.
Other annoying words: “fake news,” “no offense but,” “literally,” “you know what I mean.”
