Mercer Times

Students in a linguistics course at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) have actively engaged with the American Dialect Society's Word of the Year submissions, presenting a list filled with social media-influenced slang. The term "lock in," which means to focus, was among the contenders and won the category of “Most Useful” word for 2024, though it did not secure the top spot.

Last year’s winner was "enshittification," a term from Cory Doctorow's blog post describing the decline of digital platforms over time. In contrast to past years when entries were more serious—such as during the pandemic in 2020—this year's submissions from TCNJ students reflect a trend toward playful language.

Felicia Steele, chair of TCNJ's English department, noted that student entries have reached the finals twice recently, showcasing their awareness of linguistic trends. Students in Steele’s fall course, LNG 202: Structure and History of the English Language, contributed to this year’s list. Among them were terms like "brat," denoting confidence and winning “Most Fun While it Lasted,” and "demure," suggesting elegance.

Matthew McGrath ’26 introduced "lawfare," referring to legal strategies used against political opponents. McGrath remarked on its frequent appearance in news media and its relevance to class concepts. Gianna Panei ’29 found selecting words an enjoyable conclusion to her studies; she frequently uses terms like “crash out” for breakdowns.

Steele expressed particular interest in "femininomenon," a blend coined by singer Chappell Roan. Other student-submitted terms included:

- aura: a quality derived from video gaming

- bet: an affirmative response

- big back: excessive consumption

- brainrot: mental deterioration

- cap: lie

- looksmaxxing: enhancing appearance

- lore or lore-drop: personal history

- mewing: creating a pout-like expression

- tweaking: anxious behavior

- unc: derisive address for an older peer

"Brainrot" was awarded “Digital Word of the Year.” More information about these words and other winners can be found on the American Dialect Society’s website.