* Chengguan Urban management officers, a cross between mayors, sheriffs and city managers.
* Jai Ho! From the Hindi, “It is accomplished”; achieved English-language popularity through the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.
* Mobama Relating to the fashion sense of the US First Lady, as in “that is quite mobama-ish”.
* Noob From the gamer community; a neophyte in playing a particular game; used as a disparaging term.
* Phelpsian The accomplishments of Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics.
* Quendy-Trendy British youth-speak for hip or up-to-date.
* Wonderstar As in Susan Boyle, an overnight sensation, exceeding all reasonable expectations.
* Zombie Banks Banks that would be dead if not for government intervention.
This list offered by Simon Winchester, who loves the language and the OED, in a Telegraph article that also explains how the word "autopeotomy" was created by two elderly women lexicographers.
"quendy" is ridiculous. I'm English and young, we don't use that word, I've never even heard of it. In fact the only one I've ever come across anyone using is "noob".
ReplyDeleteThat said, I do rather like "Zombie Banks".
i vote for noob
ReplyDelete