Kibitzer
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. . . in » Words of the Year American Dialect Society. The ADS is a consortium of scholars, writers, professors, teachers, students, at least one copy editor (Bill Walsh, Washington Post) and assorted citizens who share an interest in the ongoing evolution of the English Language. For many years they have convened annually to select Words of The Year in various categories -- and there is ample evidence that they have had fun doing it.
A few past selections caught my eye:
An individual with a fetish about guns is ammosexual;
A Utah legislator suggested that a same-sex wedding be referred to as a pairage; and,
Feminine leaders or writers comprise the cliterati.
My favorite is columbusing, describing cultural appropriation. especially when white people proclaim that they have "discovered" something that minorities have known for years.
The word derives from the notion that Columbus hardly discovered a continent where millions already resided; or,
That white folks finally discovered rock & roll; or,
That Miley Cyrus discovered twerking.
And so on. A clever conversation about columbusing is available on the College Humor web site.
My favorite anecdote was in a reader's comment appended to a column about columbusing. He (full disclosure: a black guy) was pleased to announce that he had recently "columbused Starbucks." I guess that's reverse columbusing. I wonder if Bloomingdale's is next.
A few past selections caught my eye:
An individual with a fetish about guns is ammosexual;
A Utah legislator suggested that a same-sex wedding be referred to as a pairage; and,
Feminine leaders or writers comprise the cliterati.
My favorite is columbusing, describing cultural appropriation. especially when white people proclaim that they have "discovered" something that minorities have known for years.
The word derives from the notion that Columbus hardly discovered a continent where millions already resided; or,
That white folks finally discovered rock & roll; or,
That Miley Cyrus discovered twerking.
And so on. A clever conversation about columbusing is available on the College Humor web site.
My favorite anecdote was in a reader's comment appended to a column about columbusing. He (full disclosure: a black guy) was pleased to announce that he had recently "columbused Starbucks." I guess that's reverse columbusing. I wonder if Bloomingdale's is next.
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