After the selection was spoken in English for the first time in its history, more than 300,000 people have voted for the Oxford word of the year 2022 in the last two weeks.
And the winner is… “Goblin Mode.”
Kobold was?
“Goblin mode” is a slang term that refers to “a type of behavior that is apologetically indulgent, lazy, sloppy, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”
Although the term first appeared on Twitter in 2009, it went viral on social media in February 2022 and quickly found its way into newspapers and magazines after being tweeted in a fake headline.
The term became increasingly popular in the following months as Covid lockdown restrictions were relaxed in many countries and people left their homes more regularly.
Ben Zimmer, American linguist and lexicographer, said at a special event announcing this year’s approach to choosing the Oxford word of the year: “Goblin fashion really speaks to the times and the zeitgeist, and it is certainly an expression of 2022. People are looking at social norms in new ways. It gives people the opportunity to give up social norms and adopt new ones.”
In fact, the term seems to have captured the prevailing sentiment of people who rejected the idea of a return to “normal life” or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles on social media.
“Given the year we’ve just experienced, Goblin Mode appeals to all of us who feel a bit overwhelmed at this point in time,” adds Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages.
“It’s a relief to admit that we’re not always the idealized, curated self we like to feature on our Instagram and TikTok feeds. This has been demonstrated by the dramatic rise of platforms like BeReal, where users share images of their unedited selves and often capture smug moments in goblin mode. People are embracing their inner leprechaun, and voters are choosing “goblin mode,” as the word of the year tells us the concept is likely to stick.”
The term “metaverse” came second and describes “a (hypothetical) virtual reality environment in which users interact with each other’s avatars and their environment in an immersive way, which is sometimes seen as a potential extension or replacement for the Internet and social media.”
“#IStandWith” came in third place — a hashtag used on social media to express solidarity with a particular cause, group, or person. They were frequently used this year, including #IStandWithUkraine and #StandWithUkraine.
After the selection was spoken in English for the first time in its history, more than 300,000 people have voted for the Oxford word of the year 2022 in the last two weeks.
And the winner is… “Goblin Mode.”
Kobold was?
“Goblin mode” is a slang term that refers to “a type of behavior that is apologetically indulgent, lazy, sloppy, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”
Although the term first appeared on Twitter in 2009, it went viral on social media in February 2022 and quickly found its way into newspapers and magazines after being tweeted in a fake headline.
The term became increasingly popular in the following months as Covid lockdown restrictions were relaxed in many countries and people left their homes more regularly.
Ben Zimmer, American linguist and lexicographer, said at a special event announcing this year’s approach to choosing the Oxford word of the year: “Goblin fashion really speaks to the times and the zeitgeist, and it is certainly an expression of 2022. People are looking at social norms in new ways. It gives people the opportunity to give up social norms and adopt new ones.”
In fact, the term seems to have captured the prevailing sentiment of people who rejected the idea of a return to “normal life” or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles on social media.
“Given the year we’ve just experienced, Goblin Mode appeals to all of us who feel a bit overwhelmed at this point in time,” adds Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages.
“It’s a relief to admit that we’re not always the idealized, curated self we like to feature on our Instagram and TikTok feeds. This has been demonstrated by the dramatic rise of platforms like BeReal, where users share images of their unedited selves and often capture smug moments in goblin mode. People are embracing their inner leprechaun, and voters are choosing “goblin mode,” as the word of the year tells us the concept is likely to stick.”
The term “metaverse” came second and describes “a (hypothetical) virtual reality environment in which users interact with each other’s avatars and their environment in an immersive way, which is sometimes seen as a potential extension or replacement for the Internet and social media.”
“#IStandWith” came in third place — a hashtag used on social media to express solidarity with a particular cause, group, or person. They were frequently used this year, including #IStandWithUkraine and #StandWithUkraine.