The Lingo of 2020

Joy.  On a daily basis, this one...

Last day of school in 2020!!

​Much is revealed about a culture from its vocabulary.

In reflection, 2020 gave us a load of new lingo.  
 
Consider:
Yoga Pants – Former meaning: “I’m working out / going to yoga.” 
2020 meaning: “I got out of my pajamas today.”
 
Drive-by - Former meaning: a shooting from a moving car. 
2020 meaning: Adorning one’s car with signs & balloons as one joins a procession of cars, waving at friends on a lawn, yelling, “Happy Birthday!/Happy Graduation!/Good luck on your move! We’ll miss you!”
 
Mask – former meaning:  a facial covering for Halloween.
2020 meaning: Public statement of those who believe in science vs. those who don’t.

Family time - former meaning: a special time set aside for family members to catch each other up on their day, relax, eat dinner, play games.
2020 meaning: Every minute of every day. (Antonym: alone time, now a term used in fantasy or sci fi.)
 
Urban Moving Vans of Any Kind - former meaning: “We’ve been transferred!” 
2020 meaning: “We did the math, and OMG, what we can buy elsewhere for half the price while working remotely!!”
 
Date - former meaning: an outing that two people in/or wanting to be in/ a relationship take to have fun, relax, connect.
2020 meaning: ???

Pivot - Former meaning: “to turn on, as if on a shaft”
2020 meaning: To reinvent one’s self out of necessity. Ex: “My business collapsed…I got laid off…our economic model isn’t viable…I need to pivot here….”

Quarantine: Former meaning: a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.
2020 meaning: daily life.
 
Zoom: A noun (Ex: Let's discuss this on zoom). Also, a verb (Ex: Let’s zoom next week). Also, an adjective (Ex: Mom, I’ll see you on the Christmas zoom meeting). In short, zoom became EVERYTHING: a lifeline for business and social interaction.  
Would that we had bought stock….
 
Virtual/Remote Learning – Proof that kids can actually tire of watching a screen.
 
Postponed Memorials – A plan to celebrate a recently deceased loved one’s life in the distant undefined future
History of term: As the death toll mounted to horrifying numbers, many found that zoom (adj) memorials leave much to be desired. We’ve learned how important hugging and being physically together are in times of grief.
 
The COVID-19 – Cousin to “The Freshman 15”, "the COVID- 19" is the approximately 20 pounds of weight gained by staying at home, mostly in the first few months of the pandemic. (not to be confused with COVID-19, the actual disease).
 
Social distancing – an oxymoronic phrase denoting how one is trying to be health-conscious while also acknowledging one’s deep need to laugh and be with family and friends.
 
Now, for an obscure ancient word that has been a 2020 companion: 
Trumpery
Samuel Johnson, in his dictionary of 1755, defined trumpery as:
(1) Something of less value than it seems 
(2) Falsehood, empty talk 
(3) Something of no value; trifles
Its meaning not only stands, but has new depth.
 
Top Two Words more commonly used than ever before: 
Hope – synonymous with the election…the vaccine…the future…
 
Gratitude – buzzword of sanity. Grateful for what we have. What we don’t. That this year is finally ending. For who we have become during this time.
 
And Concluding -
​on Perspective and Relationships – “Life will present you with unexpected opportunities, and you won't always know in advance which are the important moments. Above all, it's the quality of your relationships that will determine the quality of your life. Invest in your connections, even those that seem inconsequential." 
(Esther Perel came up with that – and it’s good, so it’s here).
 
Thanks for your friendship and for having subscribed to my blog.
 
Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.