pic: svenskaakademin.se
The list is out! Gretaeffekten (the Greta effect), smygflyga (flying in secret) and tågskryta (train brag) are just a few examples of the new 35 words for 2019. The list is put together by the Language Council (Språkrådet), a division of the government’s Institute for Language and Folklore.
English speakers will often recognize a “new” word (immersiv, and sharenting, for example), and other languages also often make an appearance: This year, a new word is “benim” which is a Turkish pronoun for I or me, and is found largely in Swedish rap.
However, one of the reasons for a large number of new words is the ability of the Swedish language to easily form compound words. “Compound” is not actually a correct description as, in English, two words that are put together should form an entirely new word – like “brain” and “storm” become brainstorm. In Swedish, compound words (sammansatta ord) are very much dependent on the two (or more) words they’re made up of for their meaning – see nagellackborttagningsmedelsradioreklam.
For Swedish radio, the author Mara Lee described the Swedish language’s ability to admit compound words as characteristic of Sweden’s flexibility and adaptability. On one side, she says, there is the Swedish nature, which is largely monosyllabic (skog, mark, äng – forest, field, meadow), and which is often reflected in Swedish poetry. But on other side, Swedish is also known for its innovation, which expresses itself also verbally – taking the best of what’s around and putting it together.
“Funktionshinderombudsman” (public advocate for physically challenged persons) may be an awkward word, Lee suggests, but it reflects a complex reality. “I’d rather live in a land that has the word funktionshinderombudsman than in a country that doesn’t have it.” A literary linguistic undertaking is never just about reflecting reality, she continues, “it’s about creating reality” (sverigesradio.se).
The new word list for 2019 is just that – reflecting reality, as well as helping to create it, by giving it recognition and a platform. Here are the new words, in all their glory:
Animoji, Antivaxxare, Artdöden, ASMR, Aspludd, Benim, Beteendedesign, Cybersoldat, Deepfake, Deplattformering, Digital tvilling, Dra åt helvete-kapital, Eldost, Fimpomat , Gretaeffekten, Grönt körfält, Hjärtslagslag, Hundvissla, Hybridkrig, Ikigai, Immersiv, Klimatdiktatur, Klimatnödläge, Klimatstrejk, Källtillit, Lågaffektivt bemötande, Menskonst, Nattborgmästare, Popcornhjärna, Sharenting, Smygflyga, Syssna, Tågskryta, Växtbaserat kött, Övervakningsekonomi.
(source: språkrådet http://www.isof.se/sprak/nyord/nyordslistan-2019.html )