The 10 Best Buzzwords of 2007

[Kerry]

Time magazine has published it's top 10 best buzzwords for 2007:

#1 cougar
n. older woman who romantically pursues younger men; offensive to some, the term is considered by others a positive acknowledgment of these women's sex appeal

#2 surge
n. term for President Bush's controversial plan to bring 20,000 more troops to Iraq to help tamp down the civil war

#3 previvor
n. person who does not have cancer but possesses a genetic predisposition to develop the disease; a presurvivor

#4 popcorn lung
n. rare lung disease that can be caused by inhaling the buttery tasting additive diacetyl and is found among people who make - or eat - insane amounts of microwave popcorn

#5 Colbert bump
n. similar to the Oprah effect on book sales, the brief jump in popularity political candidates experience after appearing on The Colbert Report

#6 grass station
n. theoretical alternative to a conventional gas station that would allow drivers to fill up with biomass fuels, some of which are distilled from plain old grass

#7 locavore
n. person who tries to eat only foods that are harvested locally

#8 bacn
n. spam by request; e-mail the recipient has signed up to receive yet may never bother to read

#9 vajayjay
n. slang for vagina; popularized by Grey's Anatomy and Oprah

#10 freegan
n. anticonsumer, pro-recycling extremist who makes purchases only as a last resort

Which one's your favourite?

Perhaps your favourite isn't on Time's list. Tell us what it is.

[injest]

I am SOOO out of it.

 

I have heard the words "surge' and "vajayjay" but wasn't aware they were being used in common conversation.

the rest of those words are all new to me!

[Kerry]

I am SOOO out of it.

 

I have heard the words "surge' and "vajayjay" but wasn't aware they were being used in common conversation.

the rest of those words are all new to me!

I'm with you, Jess. I have only heard of "surge" but thought it was the military name for the operation in Iraq - like "Operation Surge." Had no idea it had become a buzzword!  I've not heard of any of the others. 

[mvansand76]

eh? 

[Kerry]

#9 vajayjay
n. slang for vagina; popularized by Grey's Anatomy and Oprah

What a stupid word!! 

That's what I   thought. Believe me, "vajayjay" is not what your typical  Aussie bloke calls it haha! 

Guess ya gotta be a fan of Oprah, hunh?! 

Has anyone, anywhere in the known Universe, ever heard of any of these buzzwords?  (Other than Time magazine editorial staff, that is  )

[Ellemeno]

I first started reading about the concept of being a locavore this year, and love it.  It's one of the most effective ways to really live "green."  Huge amounts of energy are wasted on transporting foods.  I make attempts at it, but it's hard to change habits.  I can read an article on eating locally, be inspired by it, and still find myself unthinkingly putting bananas in my cart.  I'm glad to say that more and more of the food stores here in Seattle are posting the sources of fresh produce.  Why buy New Zealand apples when I live in an apple-growing state?  (Nothing against New Zealand!) 

Just since others are expressing their opinions on "vajayjay," I'll say I think it sounds cute.  Like it might be used by someone who says, "Oh, SNAP!" and does that zig zag motion in the air with their index finger, with their other hand on their hip that I so admire, but can't pull off. 

I also enjoy when Steven Colbert talks about when "friends of the show" get the "Colbert bump."  Apparently it's real.

[Kerry]

I first started reading about the concept of being a locavore this year, and love it.  It's one of the most effective ways to really live "green."  Huge amounts of energy are wasted on transporting foods.  I make attempts at it, but it's hard to change habits.  I can read an article on eating locally, be inspired by it, and still find myself unthinkingly putting bananas in my cart.  I'm glad to say that more and more of the food stores here in Seattle are posting the sources of fresh produce.  Why buy New Zealand apples when I live in an apple-growing state?  (Nothing against New Zealand!) 

Just since others are expressing their opinions on "vajayjay," I'll say I think it sounds cute.  Like it might be used by someone who says, "Oh, SNAP!" and does that zig zag motion in the air with their index finger, with their other hand on their hip that I so admire, but can't pull off. 

I also enjoy when Steven Colbert talks about when "friends of the show" get the "Colbert bump."  Apparently it's real.

Phew! At last, someone who's heard of some of these buzzwords. 

I was at the point of despair! 

I was beginning to suspect it may have been some kinda sick April Fool's Joke (?in December?) by Time magazine! 

Thank you for explaining "locavore," Clarissa. Now that you've done so, it would appear that I have been a "locavore" for some time, without knowing it! We've had a policy to "Buy Australian" in Oz for many years, and I heartily agree with it. 

[ifyoucantfixit]

          I have heard of the Colbert bump...I love Stephen Colbert...  He is so funny, and sarcastic.
 
   But it seems to me that those people at Time are the only ones using most of those so called "buzz words"
   I thought that in order for it to become a buzz word, it had to become very included into the everyday peoples
   vocabulary..  In other words,, the way Brokeback Mountain has become a buzz word with a great amount of usage
   since the popularity of the movie...

          Maybe i am out of the loop too as Jess says.

[dot-matrix]

The only one of the list I have ever heard is "cougar"...that like MILF and DILF has become pretty common amoung teens and young adults around here but the rest of those are news to me    and her I thought Califonria was ground zero for buzzwords!    Of course I don't watch Oprah and find cutesy word play like vajayjay silly.

[serious crayons]

I first started reading about the concept of being a locavore this year, and love it.  It's one of the most effective ways to really live "green."  Huge amounts of energy are wasted on transporting foods.

I guess this issue itself has now become somewhat disputed and controversial. Sometimes, apparently, it's more "green" to eat things that are grown, manufactured, processed, packed and/or shipped more efficiently, even if farther away.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/business/yourmoney/09feed.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Everything is so complicated these days!

Anyway, back to the buzzwords, I find it easier to pick the ones I've heard of than the ones I like. They are:

cougar (on "30 Rock")

surge (from Bush himself, I think)

Colbert bump (from Colbert himself, for sure)

vajayjay (all over the place)


My most fun way of acquiring a buzzword -- well, a slang word -- was "ballin," which has to do with affluence/status/the good life.  One day my 13-year-old son said something or other was ballin and I disagreed and said it wasn't and he said "You don't even know what that word means." But I did! I had heard of it from 75-year-old TheFullMontyClift! Who'd heard it from 50-year-old littlewing! So ha ha ha.

[CellarDweller]

Well, I picked "cougar", but some of the words I remember hearing this year are:


"Whale Tail".   When a girl wears high cut shirts, and low cut jeans, and the top of her thong is showing, looking like a whale tail.

"Tramp Stamp".   A tattoo on the small of the back....that can be seen when a woman wearing the same outfit as above (thereby giving the nasty assumption that she's a tramp) bends over, revealing the tattoo, or "stamp".

"Muffin top".   When a woman wears that same outfit in the first two examples, but perhaps a size too small, so that a little bit of "plumpness" laps over the top of her jeans, looking like a muffin top, overflowing over the top of the wrapper.

"Crotch Fruit".  Children....a play on the words that your kids are the "fruit of your loins".  Your "crotch fruit".

[jstephens9]

#9 vajayjay
n. slang for vagina; popularized by Grey's Anatomy and Oprah

What a stupid word!! 

That sounds like a word a small child would use 

[CellarDweller]

"Muffin top".   When a woman wears that same outfit in the first two examples, but perhaps a size too small, so that a little bit of "plumpness" laps over the top of her jeans, looking like a muffin top, overflowing over the top of the wrapper.

Eeeuw!! 

[Kerry]

"Muffin top".   When a woman wears that same outfit in the first two examples, but perhaps a size too small, so that a little bit of "plumpness" laps over the top of her jeans, looking like a muffin top, overflowing over the top of the wrapper.

"Muffin Top" is widely used in Australia and has the same meaning.

[jstephens9]

Well, I picked "cougar", but some of the words I remember hearing this year are:


"Whale Tail".   When a girl wears high cut shirts, and low cut jeans, and the top of her thong is showing, looking like a whale tail.

"Tramp Stamp".   A tattoo on the small of the back....that can be seen when a woman wearing the same outfit as above (thereby giving the nasty assumption that she's a tramp) bends over, revealing the tattoo, or "stamp".

"Muffin top".   When a woman wears that same outfit in the first two examples, but perhaps a size too small, so that a little bit of "plumpness" laps over the top of her jeans, looking like a muffin top, overflowing over the top of the wrapper.

"Crotch Fruit".  Children....a play on the words that your kids are the "fruit of your loins".  Your "crotch fruit".

Why is it that Britney is coming to mind with all these words? Is there a buzzword for when Britney forgets her panties 

[CellarDweller]

if there is, I don't wanna know it!

[jstephens9]

if there is, I don't wanna know it!

 

[Shasta542]

"thong-omission"

[oilgun]

Well, I picked "cougar", but some of the words I remember hearing this year are:


"Whale Tail".   When a girl wears high cut shirts, and low cut jeans, and the top of her thong is showing, looking like a whale tail.

"Tramp Stamp".   A tattoo on the small of the back....that can be seen when a woman wearing the same outfit as above (thereby giving the nasty assumption that she's a tramp) bends over, revealing the tattoo, or "stamp".

"Muffin top".   When a woman wears that same outfit in the first two examples, but perhaps a size too small, so that a little bit of "plumpness" laps over the top of her jeans, looking like a muffin top, overflowing over the top of the wrapper.

"Crotch Fruit".  Children....a play on the words that your kids are the "fruit of your loins".  Your "crotch fruit".

LOL1  I love those!  I guess the first three come as a set with the older Camel Toe. [the look created when a woman wears pants too tight in the crotch.]

I was surprised to see Cougar on the list, people I know have been using that word in that context for years!!  I voted for Locavor although it's not very catchy sounding but I do buy locally whenever possible.  Not just food, I avoid suburban big box stores and instead shop at stores in my neighbourhood.  I pay more of course but I feel it's a good investment.  I don't want those stores to go out of business & be replaced by Dollar Stores.

I also like the idea behind Freegan, but the word has a negative Freeloader connotation that I don't like so I didn't vote for it.

[Shasta542]

Last week the holder on my Starbucks said, "60% post-consumer fiber sleeve" -- I guess "post-consumer" is a new term for "recycled"? The cup was 10% post-consumer. That's the first time I'd seen it, anyway.

[Kerry]

Last week the holder on my Starbucks said, "60% post-consumer fiber sleeve" -- I guess "post-consumer" is a new term for "recycled"? The cup was 10% post-consumer. That's the first time I'd seen it, anyway.

       

[Shasta542]

Love your signature picture, Kerry!

[serious crayons]

Post consumer is a particular kind of recycled material -- I believe it's the stuff we actually put in the recycle bins. I'm not sure exactly what "pre-consumer" recycled material would be, but I suppose it's some kind of byproduct of manufacturing.

"Fiber sleeve" is a new one for me, though.

[Kerry]

Love your signature picture, Kerry!

I love it too, Shasta. 

[LauraGigs]

"thong-omission"

I like that . . .  it somehow reminds me of "bimbo eruption". 

[loneleeb3]

I am so tragically un-hip.
I have no idea what any of those mean.