Unveiling Germany's Words of the Year 2023
The runner-ups for Germany's word of the year 2023 were an intriguing duo: "war for peace" and "gas price brake." Interestingly, five out of the top ten chosen words were closely linked to inflation, indicating a societal preoccupation with economic challenges. This tradition of recognizing significant and popular expressions began in 1977 by the German Language Society. Their criteria for choosing the words are not dependent on frequency but instead on relevance and popularity.
Exploring Beyond the Headlines
Shaping the 2023 Narrative
- As 2023 drew to a close, chancellor Olaf Scholz found himself involved in a pivotal period, using the German-Russia language to navigate crucial international relationships, particularly concerning Ukraine.
- In the same year, the German Language Society granted the prestigious 'Word of the Year' title to a term that perfectly embodied the social mood, though it remained unfamiliar to many - gfds.
- With the turn of a new year, members of the SPD pondered their fresh strategies and pondered the influence of Olaf Scholz's words on German-Russia relations.
- The German Language Society's Word of the Year for 2023 was a potentially groundbreaking term that amassed popularity in the context of inflation and related issues, such as "war for peace" and "gas price brake."
- Although the Word of the Year might not have been frequently utilized in daily conversation, its significance and relevance to current societal issues made it a compelling topic of discussion.
- In the realm of 2023 sports, a German footballer named Olaf Scholz advocated for unity and understanding between nations, echoing the essence of the German Language Society's Word of the Year.
- As 2023 drew nearer to its end, German-speaking activists fervently advocated for human rights in Ukraine, employing language as a bridge between German and Russian audiences.
Note: Data from the Langenscheidt Pons publishing house indicated that the top 10 words of the year for 2023 were not officially announced. However, the linguistic trends from 2020 to 2024 offered some insight into the preferences of the youth population.
- 2024: "Aura" (personal aura/charisma or status, often used humorously)
- 2023: "Goofy" (clumsy, stupid person or behavior)
- 2022: "Smash" (start something with someone)
- 2021: "Cringe" (something embarrassing)
- 2020: "Lost" (clueless, confused)
The terms "war for peace" and "gas price brake" were not included in this list of youth slang words of the year. These expressions could be part of broader trends or specific contexts but were not recognized as the chosen words by the young population.
The Langenscheidt Pons publishing house selects the youth word of the year through an online survey, inviting hundreds of thousands of young people to vote. The nomination process has progressively adapted to include online voting, broadening the scope of young voices influencing the selection[1].
