Dictionary.com has up to date the entries for 1,500 phrases as a part of its common updates.
In keeping with a weblog put up asserting the adjustments, solely 313 of these are new entries. These are phrases like Latine (one other gender-neutral time period for a Latin-American particular person, much like Latinx), petfluencer (an influencer, however for pets) and rage farming (“the tactic of deliberately upsetting political opponents, sometimes by posting inflammatory content material on social media, in an effort to elicit indignant responses and thus excessive engagement or widespread publicity for the unique poster.”).
One other 1,140 phrases noticed revised definitions, whereas 130 noticed new definitions altogether.
Revised definitions come into play when an outdated phrase is utilized in a brand new approach — consider “woke,” lengthy used to explain the method of rousing from sleep, however now used (usually pejoratively) to explain liberal beliefs.
“Moreover, the addition of a phrase to the dictionary isn’t an endorsement, however fairly a documentation of its use in the actual world,” Senior Editor Nick Norlen wrote. “Our mission is to be descriptive—we work to explain and doc language as it’s actually used (not simply how we or others might want it for use).”
Why it issues: There could be a reflexive push in communications towards new phrases. We urge you to keep away from that impulse. Language is a fluid and ever-evolving creature, lovely in its flexibility. The addition of latest phrases isn’t an indication of the degradation of the English custom, however fairly an indication of its very energy. Bear in mind, in spite of everything, that William Shakespeare’s works include the primary recognized makes use of of greater than 1,700 phrases, a lot of which he’s believed to invented, which we couldn’t think about dwelling with out as we speak (bed room, kissing).
Observe the evolution of language with intention. That’s to say, neither embrace nor shun a phrase as a result of it’s new. Use it (or don’t) as a result of it’s the perfect phrase to talk to your viewers.
TikTok is altering the best way we speak about layoffs
Being laid off was once taboo, nearly shameful, one thing folks tended to endure by means of quietly till they discovered their subsequent function.
Now, because of TikTok, dialogue of layoffs is public, fast and infrequently scathing.
In keeping with a report within the New York Occasions, the identical creators who as soon as confirmed off their tech office facilities like countless free meals and colourful places of work on TikTok at the moment are utilizing the identical device to explain their layoffs.
In January, a laid-off creator posted a grim new form of TikTok: “A Day in My Life Getting Laid Off at Google.” We see her receiving an ominous textual content from her boss, discovering her e-mail locked, buying and selling messages with colleagues and crying. Then she goes to Disneyland and will get a churro. The visible language — meals, laptop screens, selfies — mirrors the workday clips, solely warped and darker.
“I don’t actually know what’s subsequent for me,” she says, “however I will likely be vlogging my journey and posting extra content material, so be at liberty to comply with alongside.” Her “A Day in My Life Working from the Google LA workplace” video, posted earlier that month, featured a speakeasy and arcade video games and acquired fewer than 200,000 views. Her layoff clip bought almost 5 million.
Why it issues: TikTok performed a giant function in glamorizing the lifetime of tech staff as they returned to the workplace after the pandemic. Now they’re displaying the draw back of that life because the trade corrects from a few of its excesses. The immediacy of TikTok in revealing the ache of layoffs (and in some circumstances displaying the casualty cruelty of these actions, with entry revoked with out warning and mass Zooms delivering the information) might trigger recruiting issues down the street.
There’s no straightforward resolve for this for comms execs, aside from being conscious of how workplaces are used as filming areas, working with HR to observe the movies and having insurance policies in place to guard proprietary firm info following layoffs.
Why the gender pay hole isn’t going away
In the beginning of Girls’s Historical past Month, girls are nonetheless being paid solely $0.82 for each greenback a person is paid. That quantity has budged a whopping 2 cents within the final 20 years, in accordance with Pew Analysis.
There isn’t a easy cause for that, although parenthood is one massive issue, Pew discovered. Whereas women and men begin their careers about at parity, girls are inclined to both briefly drop out of the workforce or cut back their hours to have youngsters. In the meantime, males usually tend to enter the workforce after they turn into fathers and are even paid a “fatherhood wage premium” that will increase the hole.
“Household wants may affect the forms of jobs men and women pursue, contributing to gender segregation throughout occupations,” mentioned Pew Analysis. “Differential therapy of girls, together with gender stereotypes and discrimination, may additionally play a task. And the gender wage hole varies broadly by race and ethnicity.”
Why it issues: That is one other large downside with no straightforward resolution. As girls within the office advocate for ourselves and our groups (and allied males advocate on their behalf), we must always all the time search to grasp the basis causes of the wage hole. Preventing for help for working mothers is one key side, as is knowing how gender stereotypes and discrimination can play unwitting roles in how we deal with and pay girls.
This can be a lengthy journey, and one which sadly has seen little progress within the final 20 years. However we’ll solely ever see change if all of us work to alter what we will.
Biden vows to veto invoice that might overturn ESG guidelines
The primary veto of President Joe Biden’s time period might contain ESG.
The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to roll again a rule that allowed fiduciary retirement fund managers to comply with ESG tips when investing for his or her shoppers, CNBC reported.
Democrats say the rule, which went into impact in November, permits (however doesn’t require) managers to have a look at the massive image, which incorporates issues just like the long-term prices of local weather change, when making selections. Republicans say it encourages the managers to place ideology forward of returns.
Why it issues: Biden has vowed to veto the rollback, which means it can seemingly keep in place. Nonetheless, this can be a bigger backlash to the idea of ESG, led by conservatives who see it as a part of “woke ideology.”
As communicators know, rising numbers of customers, particularly younger customers, need firms that align with their values. That always means considering issues like how the corporate handles local weather change, treats their folks and offers again to the group.
Whereas communicators aren’t fiduciaries, we’re advocates for our viewers. And the underside line is: hearken to your viewers. Take heed to what they count on and what they need from the businesses they patronize. That will imply issues that fall into the class of ESG. Proceed to speak that clearly and truthfully.
Allison Carter is government editor of PR Every day. Observe her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
COMMENT
One Response to “Dictionary.com provides new phrases, TikTok offers new view on layoffs and extra”
Bullshit! Your utilizing that phrase can emphasize to a journalist that you’re indignant maybe for a rattling good cause and never simply making an anticipated denial.
Don’t rely too closely on the way you’ll be quoted. Even our former lawyer common Bob Barr was just lately quoted by some newspapers as having mentioned “bulls – – t.”
However don’t guess that your spokesperson will likely be believed simply as a lot by saying: “Not true.” Profanity will be type of verbal italics or boldface.
However not all the time. In case you say of an accuser “f him,” that could be heard as proof that you don’t have anything extra persuasive to say. Chances are you’ll be a lot better off to say “ask him whether or not he’s telling each side or just one aspect, telling how he claims the general public will profit however not how too many individuals will likely be injured by larger costs many individuals can’t afford, and infrequently with out getting any profit.”
After THAT there could also be no hurt in saying bullshit. It might be like the ultimate,
emphatic upsurge in music.