Saturday, November 21, 2009

Why "Unfriend" Is 2009 Word of the Year

The New Oxford American Dictionary’s recently-chosen word of the year for 2009 – “Unfriend” – basically refers to the act of deleting a “friend” in your social network account, such as Facebook.

Among the other nominees are: Netbook, Paywall, Birther, and my favorite – Sexting.

Why “Unfriend” won?

Christine Lindberg, senior lexicographer for the Oxford Dictionary Program in the United States, explains:

“Unfriend has real lex appeal. It has both currency and potential longevity. In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for word of the year.”

Watch video “Unfriend: 2009 Word of the Year.” Cartoon courtesy of SimpleAndLoveable.com

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