Entertainment
‘Goblin Mode’ Emerges as Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2022
A total of 318,956 votes led to the triumph of this phrase.
An open public voting event was conducted over the weekend by Oxford University Press, the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary, to determine the Word of the Year for 2022. For the first time, rather than the traditional internal council selection, the public was invited to choose the word or phrase that best captures the prevailing sentiment among English speakers. Despite “metaverse” initially holding strong, a different contender surged ahead after a focused campaign.
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In a sweeping victory with 318,956 votes, securing 93% approval among voters, “goblin mode” claimed the crown as Oxford’s 2022 Word of the Year. The term has been officially described in the Oxford Dictionary as “a form of behavior that is boldly self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, often in defiance of social conventions or norms.”
In an official statement, Casper Grathwohl, Oxford Languages’ president, lauded the public for their active participation and ultimate choice. “We had hoped that involving the public in the selection process would be well-received, but the overwhelming engagement with the campaign took us by surprise.”
The ‘goblin community’ has made its voice heard!
We are delighted to announce “goblin mode” as the #OxfordWOTY for 2022.
For more details on this year’s winning term, visit #TeamGoblinMode: https://t.co/NmC2UYau3U pic.twitter.com/yqQ9eIlIeQ
— Oxford University Press (@OxUniPress) December 5, 2022
“The immense response underscores the significance of our vocabulary in comprehending our identities and processing the unfolding events in our surroundings.
“Given the tumultuous year we have endured, ‘goblin mode’ strikes a chord with those of us who may feel somewhat overwhelmed at this juncture. It’s a relief to acknowledge that we do not always need to uphold the idealized, curated personas encouraged by our Instagram and TikTok profiles.”
