As 2023 draws to a close, it’s time once again for our annual dissection of the words that have become important to us over the past 12 months, or at least the words that folks at the major lexicographers — and sometimes their readers — think should be important to us.
Words pertaining to artificial intelligence were the top picks for Word of the Year by many dictionary publishers. Collins Dictionary got right to the point, making “AI” (the modeling of human mental functions by computer programs) its chosen word for 2023.
Some other words that the dictionary “shortlisted” for the year include: “de-influencing” (warning users of social media to avoid certain commercial products, lifestyle choices, etc.), “ultra processed” (regarding food prepared using complex industrial methods that’s of “little or no nutritional value”), “greedflation” (businesses making excessive price hikes in order to boost their profits) and “ULEZ” (a zone into which only ultra-low emissions vehicles may go).
For its 20th year of selecting a Word of the Year, Merriam-Webster, which chooses its word based on the number of lookups a word has had, selected “authentic,” which is defined as “not false or imitation, real, natural.”
“We see in 2023 a kind of crisis of authenticity,” said Webster editor-at-large Peter Sokolowski.
“What we realize is that when we question authenticity, we value it even more,” he continued, referring to AI’s ability to create deep fakes and its tendency to hallucinate (more on “hallucinate” shortly) when presenting results.
Others on Merriam-Webster’s list of significant 2023 words are: “kibbutz” (a communal settlement in Israel), “implode” (to burst inward), “deadname” (the name a transgender person was given at birth and no longer uses), “doppelganger” (a double, alter ego or ghostly counterpart) and “rizz” (more on “rizz” shortly).
In keeping with the AI theme, Cambridge Dictionary chose the most recent definition of “hallucinate,” which it says is “when artificial intelligence produces false information.”
The editors at Cambridge also noticed sharp increases in lookups for “ennui” (bored or mentally tired because of nothing interesting or exciting to do), “grifter” (someone who gets money dishonestly by tricking people) and “GOAT” (greatest of all time).
In complete agreement with the gang at Cambridge are the lexicographers for Dictionary.com, who also decided to go with “hallucinate” (which they define as “To produce false information contrary to the intent of the user and present it as if true and factual”) as their Word of the Year.
The new definition, says Grant Barrett, Dictionary.com’s head of lexicography, dates back to the early 1970s when “scientists trying to make computers read human handwriting used ‘hallucinate’ to refer to the computer’s mistaken readings.”
The folks at Oxford University Press, publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary, used a slightly democratic process for determining their choice for Word of the Year. First, they selected eight candidates for the honor and had the public vote on them. Then the experts at Oxford University Press picked a winner from the top four vote-getters, which this year turned out to be “rizz.”
Rizz is defined as a Generation Z term that’s described as “style, charm or attractiveness; someone’s ability to attract or seduce another person.” According to corp.oup.com, “Etymologically, the term is believed to be a shortened form of the word ‘charisma,’ taken from the middle part of the word (like ‘flu’ coming from ‘influenza’), which is an unusual word formation pattern.”
Or is it? In July, Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, who’s widely credited with popularizing the word, told Complex Magazine that “rizz” was not a shortened form of “charisma,” but rather just a word that he and his friends started using on his stream. (Nor does the word have anything to do with Stockard Channing’s character, Betty “Rizz” Rizzo, in the 1978 movie “Grease.”)
To earn the dictionary’s top spot “rizz” bettered the other finalists: “swiftie” (an enthusiastic fan of Taylor Swift), “situationship (an informal romantic or sexual relationship) and “prompt” (an instruction given to an artificial intelligence program).
(Note: This column was written at a kitchen table, using fingers, a word-processing program, research and critical human thinking.)
Jim Witherell of Lewiston is a writer and lover of words whose work includes “L.L. Bean: The Man and His Company” and “Ed Muskie: Made in Maine.” He can be reached at jlwitherell19@gmail.com.
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