‘Fake news’ named word of the year for 2017

GLASGOW: The term ‘fake news’ dominated the global politics for around last 12 months and now it has found some legitimacy after it was named Word of the Year 2017 by Collins’ Dictionary, even though the term is two words.

Usage of the term – which has often been used by US President Donald Trump – has risen by 365% since 2016, according to the dictionary.

“’Fake news’, either as a statement of fact or as an accusation, has been inescapable this year, contributing to the undermining of society’s trust in news reporting: given the term’s ubiquity and its regular usage by President Trump, it is clear that Collins’ Word of the Year ‘fake news’ is very real news.”

Read: Subcontinent’s ‘Jugaad’ finds place in Oxford Dictionary

Defined as “false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news reporting”, “fake news” will now be added to the next print edition of Collins Dictionary.

Lexicographers, the people who compile dictionaries, found other politically relevant words had been significant over the last 12 months, including “antifa”, an abbreviation of “anti-fascist”, and “echo chamber”, which refers to those who share their opinions in environments, especially social media, where the only people who hear or read their views will be of a similar disposition.

Other words on the list include “gender fluid”, “fidget spinner”and “cuffing season”, which is the habit of single people looking for a partner for the winter months but not necessarily for a longer period.

“Gig economy”, which means an economy built around temporary or freelance workers, and “Insta”, meaning things relating to the photo-sharing app Instagram, were also among the frequently-used words.