22 words we'll find ourselves using in 2022
Who says new year, says new words to add to our vocabulary. We've put together 22 new words that should slip into our vocabulary. Here is the first episode of our After Calendar, 2022 trend book.
Blob:Be careful not to confuse this word with the bob, long considered the pinnacle of corniness. Blobs fascinate scientists, who claim they can lead to major discoveries. These organisms live in the undergrowth in their natural state and consist of a single giant cell capable of moving, memorizing and even transmitting knowledge to their fellow creatures. However, it is difficult to characterize them: they are neither animals, nor plants, nor fungi. Fortunately, they are harmless!
Cannamoms:It's not just young people who use cannabis daily. More and more mothers are taking microdoses of this gentle drug to relax and reduce their mental load, as described by Danielle Simone Brand in the book “Weed Mom: The Canna-Curious Woman's Guide to Healthier Relaxation, Happier Parenting, and Chilling TF Out”. While cannamoms are particularly popular in North America, the movement is gaining momentum and attracting more and more young parents. Soon the cannacouple?
Cheugy:A word that literally exploded in the United States in 2021, especially on TikTok. And it could well replace the famous “Ok, boomer”. Not very flattering, the term designates people who follow tendencies deemed outdated. To be taken with distance therefore. Indeed, who hasn’n’n’n’ never flashed or wanted to take out of his closet a pair of Converse or a lumberjack-style plaid shirt?
Cryptocurrency:Rather Bitcoins, Ethereum or Ripple? Anyone who has never toyed with the idea of making a fortune with these digital currencies, raise their hand! Also nicknamed “virtual currency”, this new form of 100% dematerialized money makes it possible to exchange assets between individuals without the intermediary of a bank and without paper support. Currently, there are more than 6000 cryptocurrencies in the world.
Deconsumption:The notion of deconsumption was theorized by the English researcher Chris Goodall and described by the French author Cécile Désaunay in the essay “The deconsumption society: the revolution of living better by consuming less”, published in February 2021. The principle is simple: adopt a reasoned consumption, that is to say by refocusing more on its needs and by favoring quality to the detriment of quantity. Concretely, this can be illustrated by the choice to offer fewer gifts at Christmas or to opt for second-hand purchases.
Frugalism:This term refers to a way of life consisting of putting money aside in order to work less to enjoy life to the full. This movement first emerged in the United States, where it is known as “Financial independence, retire early” (FIRE). Which means in French: “financial independence, early retirement”. Because, for many, this existence of ants aims to retire as soon as possible! At 50, or even 40, if finances permit.
Gender fluid:Gender identity is also undergoing a revolution. From now on, we no longer speak only of the “feminine” and the “masculine”. Some people willingly embrace the feminine and the masculine or simply wish to free themselves from these two notions. They are called “genderfluid” or “non-binary”. A new gender identity that we see appearing in the media in recent years, especially in the second season of the series “Sex Education”, released on Netflix in September 2021.
Boomerang Generation:A few years ago, we took a dim view of young adults returning to live with their parents. They had even been given the nickname “Tanguy”, in reference to the squeaky comedy by Étienne Chatiliez. But things have changed with the pandemic and we are now collectively rethinking the relationship between generations. Good!
GOAT: What do Meryl Streep and Claude Dartois, from Koh-Lanta, have in common? Internet users refer to them both as “GOAT”, the acronym for “Greatest of All Time”. This English expression appeared in the 90s but has recently been democratized thanks to social networks. We can read there that Rafael Nadal and Eminem are the GOATs of their respective professions, to understand the best. Be careful, however, not to understand this expression with its namesake “goat” (“goat” in French), at the risk of sounding like a boomer.
Infodemia:The hunt for fake news is on, especially a few months before the presidential election. This portmanteau refers to a mixture of both accurate and inaccurate information on a subject. This has a direct impact on our ability to understand the challenges of a phenomenon as complex as the health crisis or the political climate.
JOMO:This acronym refers to the English expression “joy of missing out”, or the joy that some people can feel by not going to all the events that are offered to them. Don’t want to attend your postman’s nephew's christening or your aunt’s distant cousin's birthday party? Don’t be ashamed to decline invitations and adopt the JOMO attitude.
Mentrification:A somewhat scholarly term but which designates a now well-known fact: the invisibilization of women through the centuries, by and for men. Inspired by the term “gentrification”, this word was theorized by Australian writer and activist Van Badham. No area is spared, be it cinema, gastronomy, the arts or science. An edifying example of mentrification? Albert Einstein had a wife, Mileva Marić-Einstein, with whom he discovered the famous theory of relativity. However, it's a safe bet that you just read these lines.
Metavers:Contraction of meta-universe (“metaverse” in English), this new fashionable term describes a perfect replica of our world, but in a 100% digital version. A parallel universe in virtual reality, only accessible via the internet. If the idea of the metaverse is just emerging, it promises us from the outset interactions freed from all physical constraints thanks to 3D.
Mys:“Hygge” in Denmark, “Niksen” in the Netherlands… The Nordics are the champions of life philosophies centered around well-being. The Swedes have also adopted one: the “Mys”. Derived from the Swedish word “fredagsmys” (which can be translated as “fun Fridays”), this way of life is simply to have a good time, for example by tasting your favorite foods or allowing yourself an evening away from the screens. An art of living that is not reminiscent of the famous mantra “Hakuna Matata” of Timon and Pumbaa in the “Lion King”… and which applies perfectly to this beginning of the year weighed down by the health crisis.
Neopronouns:You thought that the French language only has nine pronouns? Think again. In recent years, epicene pronouns like “iel”, “ul” and “ol” have been created to address non-binary people without making them invisible. You can use it like this: “I love Sam Smith’s new album. He really is my favorite artist!” Our vocabulary is all the more enriched.
NFT:The Collins Dictionary made it its word of the year in 2021. But it's a safe bet that few of us really understand the meaning of this acronym, which refers to digital objects whose authenticity is verified by blockchain technology. It may sound very technical, but they allow you to become the official owner of tweets, memes and GIF… and to be able to brag about it openly on social networks. #Laclasse.
Plasticcrust:We grant you: this word is not likely to interfere in all your conversations. But you might pronounce it if you walk on the beach and you see a strange blue hue embedded in the rocks of the coast. These colored fragments actually correspond to plastic microparticles released by the oceans. The phenomenon was discovered in 2016 by Portuguese scientists during an expedition to the island of Madeira. And, unfortunately, this is probably not the only place on the planet where these plastic crusts can be seen.
Slow working: Work more to earn more, we know. But what if, in 2022, we started from the principle that we have to work less to be more efficient? This is the ideology of “slow working”. No more pressure of deadlines and the cult of urgency, we take our time as we do with “slow cooking” or “slow travel”. There is no doubt that slowing down is “the new cool”.
Velogistics: The bicycle has made a sensational entry into cities since 2020. First there was the development of the “vélotaf” – understand the bike used daily to go to work. Now the time has come for “velogistics”, a new portmanteau word for delivery by cargo bike. These funny biclounes, capable of supporting tens of kilos, are increasingly used for last mile deliveries because they are fast, agile and able to weave their way through the jungle of cities!
< strong>Web3: Most Internet users have never heard of Web 3.0, while technophiles only have this word in their mouths. He refers to the idea that cryptocurrencies and “blockchain” could contribute to the decentralization of the Internet. The platforms and applications built on Web3 will not be owned by a central stakeholder, but will be owned by the users themselves. A small democratic revolution.
Woke: A word that has been around for a few years now, but you haven’t stopped hearing. Popularized in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter movement, “Wokism” comes from the English verb “wake” and designates the awakening of consciences around societal struggles such as feminism, anti-racism or decolonialism. But, unlike the famous Asian dish (which is spelled without the “e”), this woke isn’t everyone’s taste…
Zennials:< /strong> We know the millennials and the Zs. Now welcome the Zennials. This micro-generation refers to “adultescents” born between 1992 and 1998. They borrow characteristics from millennials and Zs, to the delight of brands. They are said to be as addicted to TikTok as they are concerned about the environment, as followers of the second hand as they are of the cheugy attitude. Difficult to identify? Yes. But they assume it!
