´Hybrid´ Most Frequently Used Word In English Language Media Around The World In 2007

‘Hybrid’ is top word, ´climate change’ is top phrase, and ‘Gore’ is top name of the Global Language Monitor's 2007 global survey of (English) language used in newspapers. Oh yeah, and the top smiley is ?-) for ’pirate’.

The analysts at Global Language Monitor (GLM) completed their rankings using a Predictive Quantities Indicator, an algorithm that tracks words and phrases in the media and on the Internet. GLM’s global network of language observers nominated English-language words throughout the year. "The idea of planetary peril and impending climatic doom resonated throughout our linguistic analysis, with the various words and phrases garnering hundreds of millions of citations", the analysts say. "In the end this narrowly outpacced the word 'surge' that also had a disproportionate impact upon 2007's linguistic landscape," said Paul Payack, who heads up GLM. The various 2007 rankings consist of words, phrases and personalities that were culled from publications throughout the English-speaking world. Worldwide, there are some 1.35 billion English speakers. The Top Ten Words of 2007 1. Hybrid – Actually Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). Chosen to represent all things green from biodiesel to wearing clothes made of soy, to global warming to living with a zero-carbon footprint. (From the Latin hybrida, a variation of ibrida for "mongrel," specifically "offspring of a sow and a wild boar,") 2. Surge - The controversial political and military strategy of winning the war in Iraq. 3. Bubble – As in housing bubble, bursting. Also, Credit crunch. 4. Smirting – The new-found art of flirting while being banished outside a building for smoking. 5. Pb – The symbol lead, Atomic No. 82. The culprit in innumerable toy recalls this year. 6. Ideating – Latest in a long line of verbalisms: the descendent of concepting and efforting. 7. Ω-3 (Greek letter omega-3) -- Also written as Omega 3; the healthy fatty acid. 8. Cleavage – As in ‘woman of cleavage,’ a touchy campaign subject. 9. Amigoization -- Increasing Hispanic influence in California, the Southwest and into the Heartland. 10. Bluetooth – A technology to connect electronic devices by radio waves. The Top Smiley or Emoticon: ?-) The smiley for ‘pirate’, thanks to the Pirates of the Caribbean. Arrrrrgh! The Top Ten Phrases for 2007 1. Climate change – The warming of the Earth’s atmosphere due to natural cycles (politically sensitive; believed to be primarily outside the control of man) 2. ‘Ho-Ho-Ho’ – Santa’s trademark phrase. In Australia officials are suggesting ‘Ha-Ha-Ha’ because the former may scandalize the children. 3. All-time low – The phrase apparently grafted next to the president’s name in the media. 4. Theory of Everything – Garrett Lisi’s especially simple theory of the Universe that unites all forces and gravity in one elegant structure. 5. Planetary Peril – Al Gore’s trademark phrase to describe the Earth’s current condition. 6. Wristband Wagon – Wearing your heart on your … wrist. Pink against breast cancer, red against third-world poverty, ‘camouflage’ (or yellow as in yellow ribbon) to support the troops, 7. No Noising – Chinese/English hybrid (Chinglish) for ‘quiet please!’ 8. Fade to black – From the Soprano’s series finale to the Hollywood writers’ strike 9. Fossil Fuels – The enemy of the Greens: Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas (anything hydrocarbon-based). 10. Fashion tribe- Persons who follow a particular fashion with a tribe-like mindset: Examples include EMO, Hip-hop or Goth. The Top Ten Names for 2007 1. Al Gore – Conveniently, doesn’t need the presidency to top the list. 2. The Decider -- George W. Bush, still president after all these years. 3. Bono – U2’s front man out in front on Third World debt relief. 4. Obama & Hillary -- Barack’s name now qualifies as a buzzword; quite unusual, though Hil comes close. 5. Hugo Chavez – The Gadfly of Latin America 6. Vladimir Putin -- The supreme leader (President, Prime Minister, whatever) of the Russian Federation. 7. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- Iranian President suggests moving Israel to Europe. 8. Pope Benedict XVI -- continues to engage Muslim leadership in thoughtful discussions. 9. David Beckham and Posh Spice – Yet another ‘new’ type of Hollywood power couple. 10. Fidel Castro – The head one of the few remaining Communist states lives yet another year. Most understood word on the planet is the word OK. And the estimated number of words in the English language is 995,115, just 4,884 from the million-word mark.