Continuing our countdown of Merrian-Websters top words of the year, we start off with number five.
5. Bigot. M-W defines bigot as "A person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance."
Bigot earned its place on this list when Rick Sanchez, formerly a CNN anchor accused comedian Jon Stewart of being "a bigot," and implied that everyone running CNN was Jewish.
Even the greatest bigot in the world is forced to admit that the
radical coloring on some of Chester Creek's products is rather attractive.
4. Landing in the top four is socialism: "Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods."
The term popped up surrounding a good number of news stories throughout the year, particularly stories about the federal bailouts and the health-care legislation.
Chester Creek does not endorse socialism;
FunKeyBoards and
Tiny Mice for everyone! But you'll have to buy your own.
3. The second runner up for the year is moratorium. I'm sure most of you in the US immediately think of the moratorium President Obama placed on off-shore oil drilling after the Gulf spill, and that is
exactly why it made the list. A moratorium is "a legally authorized period of delay," or "a suspension of an activity."
There are no moratoriums on production at Chester Creek this season. We're working as hard as always to bring you our great products, in great time, and with great customer service!
2. Pragmatic made it almost to the top of the list. M-W defines pragmatic as "relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters : practical as opposed to idealistic."
After the mid-term elections in November, politicians across the country began to talk about more pragmatic solutions to the nation's problems, in response to evidence that that voters were unhappy with the way things had been done lately.
Pragmatism need not prevent you from getting a fun new keyboard for yourself or a loved one any time soon. Our keyboards and mice are fun and practical, with
large-print,
colorful keys, and sturdy construction all year round.
1. And the number one word of the last year?
"Austerity"
When:
Lookups on Merriam-Webster began spiking around May 1, 2010.
Why:
Austerity figured prominently in news coverage of the economic panic and protests triggered by the debt crisis in Greece.
For example, as the New York Times reported,
"The Greek Parliament passed a package of tough austerity measures on Thursday, trying to stave off economic collapse and help prevent debt contagion from spreading." (Dan Bilefsky, May 5, 2010)
The definition for this sense of austerity says it all: "enforced or extreme economy."
The word's origins are – coincidentally – Greek; austerity comes from austēros, meaning "harsh" or "severe."
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Merriam-Webster
Even austerity in your budget need not preclude purchase. Chester Creek is offering
15% off our FunKeyBundle for the holiday season - plus free shipping!
