“List reflects reality”: “Crisis mode” in Germany “Word of the Year” 2023

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‘Anti-Semitism’ came in second, followed by ‘not being able to read’. A jury selected a ranking of a total of ten words of the year that were dominant in the public discussion in recent months and therefore had a major impact on the year.

“The list reflects reality, and the reality is quite bleak at the moment,” says GfdS director Andrea Ewels. Society has been in “crisis mode” since 2020, she said, in view of the corona pandemic, the Russian attack on Ukraine, the energy crisis, Germany’s education woes and Hamas’s attack on Israel.

This year’s ‘Words of the Year’ were chosen by the jury from approximately 1,800 documents. The suggestions come from different media and anyone can submit conditions. “The decisive factor in choosing the “Words of the Year” is not the frequency of an expression, but rather its meaning and popularity,” stated the Association for the German Language. The selected words and phrases are not linked to any evaluation or recommendation.

The jury, made up of linguists and media experts, is made up of the company’s board of directors and academic staff.

The “Word of the Year” was first chosen by the GfdS in 1971 and regularly since 1977. In 2022, “Zeitenwende” took first place. The term is related to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and was, among others, adopted and coined by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). (SDA)

Source: Blick