Buzz Words of 2012, Part II

Books in the kitchen? That's posh!

supper apparently is the most upper-class word ever ever ever
avi for avatar (in Australia – and now everywhere?)
Are coaches now mentors?
the eurozone crisis keeps “deepening”
bariatric surgery (taken over from gastric band)
government still keen on “scrapping” things
folk music now means drippy tunes with breathy vocals and possibly a harp and flute


hugger mugging – getting close to a mark by pretending to be drunk and dancing around, then stealing their phone/wallet

fols for followers (and vols for volunteers)
breakout room, break room: staff rest area

boutique: We’ve seen brightly coloured ‘boutique kettles’, and heard people refer to ‘boutique firms’, ‘boutique offices’, ‘boutique publishers’, ‘boutique libraries’, ‘boutique services’… and, of course, ‘boutique shops’ (ie ‘boutique boutiques’, if you will). None of it means anything; it’s just a panicky attempt to be seen as small, squidgy, unthreatening and not out to get your money. (Middle Class Handbook)

Facebook philosopher (has replaced cracker barrel philosopher)
life changing (replaces “change comes from within”)
haters, hating on
security bubble (around Olympic torch)
wiggle dress
shambles and omnishambles popular July
over-sharing: talking about things that are a bit eeew! (Means you can stifle debate.)

unboxing: unpacking hi-tech products. People video the process and post the results on youtube. (No, me neither.)

It’s “Olympic madness” now, or just “madness”, July 24 12 (“escape the madness” – replaced August by hopes that Olympic athletes will prove better role models for young people than celebs and reality TV “stars”, also that the athletes won’t become corrupted like those terrible overpaid footballers)

This is a perfect happy-dance situation. Kirsty Allsop, July 25 12
lappy for laptop
deliver for “make it so” (people complaining)
shout-out (shurely American?)
Two-handed “fanning tears away” gesture seems to have gone out.
douche (We’ve picked it up from the States, where it’s short for “douche-bag”.)
bottle it (as in “bottle Olympic pride and confidence”, not “wimp out”)

ninja for sneaky or cheeky (eg the Daily Mail’s “ninja edit” of its Olympic opening ceremony coverage)

ledge (legend, of course)

killing spree
the question now is… (both journalese)

pre-fall (late summer)
owning (for “owning up” or “owning to”)
Nobody talks about “the new millennium” any more (turned out to be just like the old one).
clothes manufacturers are using “asymmetric” to mean “large and baggy”

2012 Part IV here
2012 Part III here
2012 Part II here
2012 Part I here

Buzz words of 2011 Part II here.
Buzz Words of 2011 here and here.
Complete Buzz Words of 2010 here.
Buzz Words of 2009 here.
Buzz Words of 2009 Part Two here.
Buzz Words of 2006 here.
Buzz Words of 2002 here.
More here (90s, 2000, 2001).
Buzz Words of 2004/5 here.