(AP) Many emotions are universal. There aren’t many words. As 2023 draws to a close, The Associated Press reached out to colleagues around the world for the terms that emerged this year and captured or crystallized the popular mood.
Some were newsworthy, some cultural. A couple were happy. Whatever the language, come through the emotions. Some might think of AI, or artificial intelligence, as the “buzzword” of 2023, while Merriam-Webster named it “authentic” and Oxford University Press named it “Rez” as a riff on charisma.
We wanted to share a variety of examples of what the Germans call “gefluegeltes Wort” or “Ward with wings”.
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Password child: Australia
In Australia, the Macquarie Dictionary named it “Word of the Month” for the whole year. One was “Cozy Lives,” slang for the cost of living. Another was the “kill noodle” for snakes, which was both cute and accurate in the world’s most venomous country.
But we’re going with “Password Child,” which families can appreciate anywhere. This refers to a child taking precedence over siblings because their name is used in the parent’s password.
– Rod McGurk in Canberra, Australia
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Kitawaramba: Kenya (kiSwahili) It will come back to haunt you.
This was said by Paul McKenzie, a Kenyan pastor accused of leading a doomsday cult that killed more than 400 people.
He said this when people confronted him while he was waiting to go to court. The unfamiliar word seemed a threat, and he quickly took his own life. Kenyans used it to warn others that something bad might happen to them because of their actions.
The word captured the mood with the rising cost of living. With each new economic policy from President William Ruto’s administration, some Kenyans have come up with what some Kenyans call a related term “kemitoramba” — that electing them has become difficult for them all over again.
– Carlos Morethi in Nairobi, Kenya
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Bwa kale: Haiti (Creole) open wood
It became the death knell against violent gangs in Haiti this year. Citizens uttered this phrase when they were chasing suspected criminals. According to the United Nations, the vigilante movement has killed more than 300 suspected gang members.
The term has long been used in the streets of Haiti to denote male dominance and power. Now it’s spread abroad, with a video on social media showing a group of Latino soccer fans — it wasn’t clear from which country — chanting “Boa Calle!” is chanting. After his team defeated the opponent.
Some businesses also use this phrase to promote their products. One restaurant has a “bwa kale” special: a hamburger topped with two small pieces of meat skewered on a stick. It came with a side of nachos and three bottles of Prestige, a local beer.
– Danica Cotto in San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Spy Balloon: United States
Perhaps no other term has better defined the growing wariness between the world’s two largest economies this year. It started like a movie, with Americans seeing a mysterious white orb in the sky. Some saw fighter jets circling and shooting down the balloon, which had been hovering over the continental United States for several days.
“I didn’t expect to wake up to a ‘Top Gun’ movie today,” said an eyewitness.
China rejected the surveillance allegations and insisted that the balloon and others were for purely civilian purposes. He never used the term 美探气球 (zhen tan qi qiu) or spy balloon and instead used 气象气球 (qi xiang qi qiu), which means “weather balloon.”
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Kanangi: South Africa (isiZulu) It’s a lot.
The word gained popularity among South Africans to express frustration over multiple conflicts happening at the same time.
In 2023, some South Africans wondered if they could handle much more. They faced record power outages. The government was under fire for its close ties with Russia. The crime spree includes the escape from prison of a convicted murderer who faked his own death.
In what seemed like overwhelming days, “Kunangi” captured just how overwhelmed South Africans could be.
– Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg
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C’est la hess: France (French) It’s a boomer.
Young people insist on keeping the plastic despite efforts to protect the French language from foreign encroachment, backed by the law.
“C’est la hess” speaks to France’s multiculturalism even as some views have hardened against immigration this year, reflected by the continued growth of the far right.
The phrase is among dozens of Arabic-derived words and expressions adopted by the under-25s in France. France has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe and a long history of migration from former colonies in North Africa.
— John Lester in Paris
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税 (zei): Japan (Japanese) tax
In a closely watched event on Tuesday, the top Buddhist monk at Kyomizu Temple in Kyoto used a brush to write the kanji character for the year on the temple’s balcony.
The Japanese public chose “zei” to best represent the year 2023 amid speculation of tax increases to build up the country’s military.
Under the latest national security strategy, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government is pursuing a five-year plan to double Japan’s annual defense spending to about 10 trillion yen ($69 billion). This country will become the world’s No. 3 military spender after the United States and China.
– Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo
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None: Universal: Non-believer
In many countries, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who are non-believers or unaffiliated with an organized religion. They are known as “nones” – atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular – and they comprise 30% or more of the adult population in the United States and Canada, as well as in several European countries. Japan, Israel and Uruguay are among the other countries with large numbers of people who are secular.
In a recent package of stories, the Associated Press religion team took an in-depth look at how this trend is playing out in many places.
– David Curry in New York
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山道猴子 (shan dao hou zi): Taiwan (Mandarin) Mountain Road Monkey
It first came about as a slang way to refer to riders who saw Taiwan’s mountain roads as racetracks. But the term became a popular shorthand for youth economic stress in August, when a YouTube user dropped a 20-minute film called “Life of a Mountain Roadminkey.” It struck a nerve, attracting nearly 7 million views.
“Road Monkey” is a biker trying to make an impact on Instagram. He lends his girlfriend money to upgrade his bike, but she cheats on him and leaves him. In debt, he works overtime to rebuild his savings, becoming isolated from friends. Eventually, he dies in an accident.
Her story touches on the debate about low wages and long hours for many in Taiwan, where housing and traditional “success” are often out of reach.
– Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan
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India: India (Sanskrit) India
When the word “India” was added to the dinner invitations sent to guests of the G20 summit in India, the immediate question for many was whether the country of more than 1.4 billion people could now be called by its ancient Sanskrit name. will be called.
Many saw “Bharat” as a political move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. The word resonated with Modi’s supporters, who argued that it would rid the country of the stigma of colonialism. But Muslims and other minority groups felt even more uneasy.
Now this name has been used in various international forums. But there has been no official announcement of the name change.
Sheikh Saliq New Delhi
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Quecobia! Who knows France?
This word became very popular among French youth this year. They use it to annoy their elders, and it has no real meaning. It’s simple: a teenager says something that can’t be heard, hoping parents or teachers say “Quoi?” Will answer. or “What?” Answer: “Koikobia!”
Its origin remains mysterious, although Radio France suggested that it was inspired by a play on words in Ivory Coast, where some people respond to a person who says “koi” with “koiko”. An AP journalist in Ivory Coast, however, said that “unfortunately,” he had never heard of it.
In any case, the word open to interpretation seems like a good way to enter 2024 and whatever lies ahead.
— Samuel Peterquin in Paris