Posted on 01/07/2006 4:58:34 AM PST by cloud8
ALBUQUERQUE Jan 6, 2006 — A panel of linguists has decided the word that best reflects 2005 is "truthiness," defined as the quality of stating concepts one wishes or believes to be true, rather than the facts.
The American Dialect Society chose the word Friday after a runoff with terms related to Hurricane Katrina, such as "Katrinagate," the scandal erupting from the lack of planning for the monster hurricane.
Michael Adams, a professor at North Carolina State University who specializes in lexicology, said "truthiness" means "truthy, not facty."
"The national argument right now is, one, who's got the truth and, two, who's got the facts," he said. "Until we can manage to get the two of them back together again, we're not going make much progress."
The group of linguists, editors and academics agreed the most useful word was "podcast" a digital feed containing audio or video files for downloading to an MP3 player.
In a runoff for the most creative word, "whale tail," the appearance of a thong above the waistband, beat out "muffin top," the bulge of flesh hanging over the top of low-riding jeans.
Tom Cruise became the first public figure in the contest's 16 years to be noted for his influence on public discourse. The group coined the term "Cruiselex" to describe such terms as "jump the couch" and "Cruisazy."
"Jump the couch," meaning to exhibit strange or frenetic behavior, won the best Tom Cruise-related word or phrase. It stems from the actor's antics in May on Oprah Winfrey's couch as he talked about his love for fiancee Katie Holmes. "Cruisazy" means to exhibit crazy behavior.
"I don't know any other public figure who has inspired so many words in a single year," said Erin McKean, editor of the New Oxford American Dictionary.
Other winners included "sudoku," a Japanese number puzzle voted the word most likely to succeed, and "pope squatting," the practice of registering an online domain that is the name of the new pope in order to profit from it, as least likely to succeed.
Last year's overall winner was "red, blue and purple states." In the 2004 general election, voters in red states favored Republicans, those in blue states favored Democrats and residents of purple states were undecided.
glad to see that TRUTHY is getting the recognition he so richy deserves... ; )
What's wrong with the term "wishful thinking"?
I prefer, "thinkful wishing".
Stating what you wish were true instead of the facts? I always thought of that as "Democratic campaigning."
I realize that but it can't be a coinkydink they stuck it to the Bush Administration with words coming out the disaster in New Orleans.
This is what the LSM publishes now.
Michael Adams, a professor at North Carolina State University who specializes in lexicology, said "truthiness" means "truthy, not facty."
Is that something like 'false, but accurate'?
Or how about 'it hasn't been proved false yet.'
If you can't dazzel them with brilliance, baffle them with BS.
LOL! Thanks.
I have no idea what he's talking about. Leave it to the linguists.
"Podcast" is legit. And "muffin top" is pretty funny.
The next one will be Abramscam.
I find plenty of that over on the dark side - RATS underground...
I just love this! "jump the shark," "jump the couch," what's next?
Ah, I see.
Like the "truthiness" of the Exit Polls on the afternoon of November 2nd, 2004...
Truthy, not factual.
Perfect liberal word.
dvwjr
DEAN: There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal is a Republican. Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no evidence that Jack Abramoff ever gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked through all of those FEC reports to make sure that's true.
BLITZER: But through various Abramoff-related organizations and outfits, a bunch of Democrats did take money that presumably originated with Jack Abramoff.
DEAN: That's not true either. There's no evidence for that either. There is no evidence...
BLITZER: What about Senator Byron Dorgan?
DEAN: Senator Byron Dorgan and some others took money from Indian tribes. They're not agents of Jack Abramoff. There's no evidence that I've seen that Jack Abramoff directed any contributions to Democrats. I know the Republican National Committee would like to get the Democrats involved in this. They're scared. They should be scared. They haven't told the truth. They have misled the American people. And now it appears they're stealing from Indian tribes. The Democrats are not involved in this.
BLITZER: Unfortunately Mr. Chairman, we got to leave it right there.
I liked "morselization" myself - as in the Colorado man whose cause of death by wood chipper was listed as "total morselization".
DEAN: I hate Republicans and everything they stand for.
Do you usually hang your hat on what Howie Dean says?
of course you believe Dean, being the good Pet-troll of FR....
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