Race on to crown South Africa’s word of 2020

The race is on to crown South Africa’s most uttered word of 2020.

“Covid-19”, “Jerusalema” and “lockdown” have been shortlisted by the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), in association with media research company, Focal Points as candidates for SA Word of the Year 2020.

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The SA Word of the Year is a word, term or expression preferred to reflect the passing year in language.

To qualify for consideration, there must be evidence that the usage of the word or expression has increased significantly in the past 12 months across a broad range of media.

The shortlisted words have according to PanSALB, captured the ethos, mood or preoccupations of 2020.

Coinciding with International Dictionary Day on October 16, the winner will be announced this Friday at the Windmill Casino and Hotel in Bloemfontein, Free State, where the PanSALB will commemorate the day.

“As the world faces a pandemic and a lot of uncertainty, the tenacity of the human spirit has never been more evident. Language has been at the centre of our response to the pandemic as words such as ‘quarantine’ ‘pandemic’ ‘lockdown’ suddenly became part of our everyday vocabulary,” said PanSALB Acting Chief Executive, Willie Manana.

“Corruption”, “normalise” and “self-isolation” were just some of the words that were considered for shortlisting.

International Dictionary Day is celebrated in remembrance of the first American lexicographer, Noah Webster, who is considered to be the father of the American dictionary.

PanSALB, through its National Lexicography Units, develops dictionaries in all official languages for the sustainable development of our languages and the realisation of effective multilingualism in South Africa. 

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