Originally published on Huffington Post 1/5/09
It’s easy to bemoan the state of the English language today. But the fact is, words still matter. Arguably, more than ever. It’s hard to think of a year filled with so many iconic words as 2008. The following is a list of words used to great — or not so great — effect this past year. Language by its very nature is always evolving, and 2008 imbued these words with different meanings than they had in 2007. Those who saw those new meanings emerged ahead. The following is our admittedly subjective ranking of the top ten words of 2008 and how well people used them.
#1 Change:
There are few arenas in which as many words fly as in a U.S. presidential election. And this year, “change” was by far the big winner. It was the perfect word for unsettled times. A word that previously suggested uncertainty today conveys a move toward stability. By September, both candidates tried to use it to their advantage. But as in any debate, victory almost always goes to the person first able to define the terms. And the Obama campaign’s incredibly disciplined use of this one word inspired millions of new voters to head to the polls — and carried him to the presidency of the United States. Final assessment: right word, right time. Grade: A
