There are fifteen categories in the 2019 Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year longlist (you can check the full list out here). Each category is comprised of five words for a total of seventy-five words that our Committe will whittle down to just fifteen words that you can choose from in the People’s Choice Word of the Year 2019.
Before you vote, take a look at the highlights from the internet category. The internet is a great and terrifying source of new words. It doesn’t take long for words first typed on a message board to make their way into our vocabulary.
One of the Word of the Year classics from this category is 2017 Committee’s Choice Word of the Year milkshake duck. Honourable mentions also went to noob from 2009, keyboard warrior from 2015, and 2008’s lolcat.
This year’s list features dogfishing, a dating term modelled on catfishing, and cyber flashing, the digital age version of flashing.
dogfishing
noun Colloquial (on dating sites or apps) the practice adopted by some people, especially men, of using photographs of themselves with a dog that does not belong to them, because it makes them seem more attractive to potential partners.
Also, dog fishing. [modelled on catfishing (see CATFISH), from the perceived deception practised]
Did you know there are men out there dogfishing us? Today we speak to a dating expert who tells us how some men are borrowing dogs to try and make them seem more attractive online. www.mamamia.com.au
To escape the clutches of a dogfisher is simple – ask him about his dog. A few simple questions will save you meeting someone who isn’t who they say they are! www.dare2date.com.au
cyber flashing
noun the practice of anonymously sending someone an unsolicited sexually explicit or offensive image or video from a digital device, using bluetooth and wi-fi.
As it turns out, this type of behaviour already has a name: cyber-flashing. Men no longer have to stand at the corner of a street in a trench coat. Why should they, when they have this kind of data-sharing tool at their disposal, ensuring absolute anonymity in a public space, with access to hundreds of potential victims? tharunka.arc.unsw.edu.au
The Cyber Safety Seminar being held at Telethon Speech and Hearing on Wednesday, August 14th from 6:30 – 8:30pm will cover the following topics and more: · How predators are using online platforms to bully and groom young children · The increase in gaming networks and apps such as Fortnite and Tik Tok being used to access increasingly younger children · Where the greatest riskof online grooming is occurring · The marked increase in cyber flashing across WA https://enewsletter.skoolbag.com.au/e65c6c0f
Three other words make up the internet category for the 2019 Word of the Year. These are sealioning, influencer and mukbang. You can find the definitions for these words as well as our longlist on our Word of the Year page.
The shortlisted word from this category for 2019 is a bit of a dark horse, with the YouTube sensation of mukbang taking the prize. We featured mukbang in our Words to Watch back in April this year. You can find more information on the shortlist and vote here.
