Oxford Languages, the creator of the Oxford English Dictionary, has named “goblin mode” as the Word of the Year for 2022. The slang term, which first appeared on Twitter in 2009, gained popularity in 2022 and was chosen as the Word of the Year for its ability to reflect the mood and ethos of the past year.
“Goblin mode” is defined as a “type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” The term resonated with people who were disillusioned by the ongoing pandemic and political upheaval, and who were rejecting societal expectations in favor of their own rules for how to live.
“It captured the prevailing mood of individuals who rejected the idea of returning to ‘normal life’, or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media,” said Oxford Languages in a press release. “People are embracing their inner goblin,” said Casper Grathwohl, the president of Oxford Languages.
Typically, the Word of the Year is chosen based on analyzing language data on emerging words and their popularity. However, this year Oxford Languages incorporated a public vote into the process and asked people to cast their ballot between the top three expressions of the year: “goblin mode,” “metaverse,” and “#IStandWith.” Over 300,000 people voted, with an overwhelming majority of 93% choosing “goblin mode” as the winner.
The second place winner was “metaverse,” which refers to a “virtual reality environment in which users interact with one another’s avatars and their surroundings in an immersive way, sometimes posited as a potential extension of or replacement for the internet.” The word gained traction after Facebook’s corporate parent changed its name to Meta in 2021.
The third place winner was “#IStandWith,” a hashtag used to communicate people’s opinions and align their stances on specific events. The hashtag and its variants became popular in March 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Thus, “goblin mode” was named the Word of the Year for 2022 by Oxford Languages. This “word” was chosen for its ability to reflect the mood and ethos of the past year. The term resonated with people who were disillusioned by the ongoing pandemic and political upheaval, and who were rejecting societal expectations in favor of their own rules for how to live.
