Oxford English Dictionary has a shortlist of nominees that were pitted against one another for several brackets including: Swiftie (a Taylor Swift enthusiast) vs De-Influencing, Heat Dome (a high-pressure weather system that traps hot air below it with deadly consequences) vs prompt—as in an improvisational cue for a Language Model), rizz vs Beige Flag (a warning sign that a partner is rather too tame and unoriginal, vis-a-vis the above) and parasocial (characterising a one-sided relationship that a fan has for a celebrity) vs situationship (an undeclared relationship) Check back soon to see if your favourite has won.
synchronoptica
one year ago: assorted links to revisit plus The Book of Leaves
two years ago: Drake’s Equation, SMS (1992) plus a collection of airline safety cards
three years ago: your daily demon: Balam, a Roman holiday plus fifty-two gleanings from the year
four years ago: Camelot (1960) plus a Chicken Little opera
five years ago: a deck of Mayan playing cards, healthy brain flora, the cries and criers of Old London plus a deployment to the US-Mexico border
