Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
According to the Collins dictionary, single-use is “a term that describes items whose unchecked proliferation are blamed for damaging the environment and affecting the food chain”. The term ‘single-use refers to “ products – often plastic – that are ‘made to be used once only’ before disposal." The 2018 Collins WOTY covers the meaning of single-use evoking ocean plastic pollution and its deadly effects on marine wildlife, as well as the accumulation of single-use plastic in landfills as non-biodegradable waste. Thus, single-use products have been especially targeted in global campaigns to reduce their use.
According to Collins, the frequency of the term single-use has increased threefold since 2013, in an effort to raise public awareness about the negative planetary effects of single-use products.
Incidentally, about a dozen categories of single-use products, such as straws, paper plates, cotton swabs, stirrers and swizzle sticks, were banned by the European Parliament on Oct. 24, 2018 (Le Monde). The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly for the ban with 571 votes in favor, 53 against, and 34 abstentions. The European Federation of Plastics found the measures disproportionate. They blame ocean plastics pollution on the mismanagement of waste. Contrary to linguistic evidence, they also blame plastics pollution on a lack of public awareness.
Incidentally, about a dozen categories of single-use products, such as straws, paper plates, cotton swabs, stirrers and swizzle sticks, were banned by the European Parliament on Oct. 24, 2018 (Le Monde). The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly for the ban with 571 votes in favor, 53 against, and 34 abstentions. The European Federation of Plastics found the measures disproportionate. They blame ocean plastics pollution on the mismanagement of waste. Contrary to linguistic evidence, they also blame plastics pollution on a lack of public awareness.
Collins lexicographers monitor 4.5 billion words per year. They select a shortlist of potential WOTTIES which are no less interesting than the winner of them all. The following is the Collins shortlist of 2018 Wotties.
- backstop - a system that will come into effect if no other arrangement is made.
- floss – a dance in which people swing their hips in one direction while swinging their arms in the opposite direction with their fists clenched. People flossing look as though they are pulling a piece of dental floss back and forth between their legs.
- gaslight (verb) - to attempt to manipulate (a person) by continually presenting them with false information until they doubt their sanity.
- gammon – etymologically related to the 15th-century French term “jambon” referring to ham. Term used by Charles Dickens in 1838 in his novel Nicholas Nickleby in reference to “a large, self-satisfied, middle-aged man who professes an extreme patriotism in large part to disguise his essential selfishness and corruption.” Term used in 2018 on Twitter as an antidote to “snowflake”, meaning “red-faced angry person”.
- #Metoo - cultural movement that seeks to expose and eradicate predatory sexual behavior, especially in the workplace.
- plogging – activity of picking up litter while jogging in an effort to address global pollution in beauty spots. The term is a blend of the Swedish term plocka meaning to pick and the term jogging.
- vegan - person who refrains from using any animal products whatsoever for food, clothing, or any other purpose.
- whitewash (verb) - to cast a white actor in the role of (a character from a minority ethnic group) or to produce (a film or play) using white actors to play characters from a minority ethnic group.
- VAR – abbreviation for video assistant referee. The term was written in the Laws of the Game by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and used for the first time during the 2018 FIFA World cup.
References
Collins Dictionary WOTY 2018
Collins 2018 WOTY shortlist
Etymology corner – Collins WOTY 2018 - Why single-use?
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/word-lovers-blog/new/etymology-corner-collins-word-of-the-year-2018,449,HCB.html
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/word-lovers-blog/new/etymology-corner-collins-word-of-the-year-2018,449,HCB.html
Le parlement européen votre pour l’interdiction des produits en plastique à usage unique (Oct. 24, 20180 Le Monde
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