Picture: for illustration purposes
In a nationwide celebration of linguistic diversity and evolution, the Pan South African Language Board (Pansalb), in collaboration with media research company Focal Points, is set to announce the 2023 South African Word of the Year on Monday.
Among the shortlisted words are 'Brics', 'Russia-Ukraine', 'interest rate' and 'geopolitics'. These terms encapsulate significant global and national events, engaging South African public interest over the past year.
The South African Word of the Year is a special recognition given to a word, term, or expression that has seen a substantive increase in usage across various media platforms throughout the past year. The chosen word is believed to capture the prevailing societal moods, preoccupations, or trends common in the corresponding year.
In a bid to gain a more holistic linguistic perspective, Pansalb and Focal Points have expanded this year's campaign by tracking popular word usage on social media. The social media-driven shortlisted words include 'danko', 'cima', 'ivale mfana', 'bathong', 'kuningi' and '10 past 4'.
Pansalb's CEO, Lance Schultz, emphasized that the shortlisted words not only mirror South Africa's linguistic diversity but also the socio-economic challenges faced by the country, such as the rising cost of living. Furthermore, he added that the choice of words showcases the dynamism of languages, highlighting how various languages influence each other and show cultural embrace through common words or terms.
Pansalb's choice will be announced in sync with the International Dictionary Day, adding a global aspect to this national recognition. The previous winner in 2022 was 'load-shedding', amongst other contenders like 'inganekwane', 'gaslighting', 'xenophobia' and 'Phala-Phala'.