Word Of The Year

Unsurprisingly, the state of the country is such that omnishambles just does not cut it. According to lexicographers at Collins Dictionary, we have been living in such a state of permanent crisis that a new word “permacrisis” has had to be coined. It is their word of the year for 2022.

Among the other words which have made the cut are “Partygate”, a reference to the celebrations held in 10, Downing Street while the country was in lockdown and the Prime Minister was too intent in maintaining the permacrisis not to hear any extraneous noise. Then there is “quiet quitting”, a trend to seek a better work-life balance and only work contractual hours, which the Government will be helpfully extending as they cut away EU regulations.

My favourite, though, is splooting, a term that describes the behaviour of an animal that lies stretched out in an attempt to cool down. At least climate change is adding to the colour of our language.