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View Full Version : Omnishambles named word of the year by Oxford English Dictionary

karl
November 15th, 2012, 07:07 AM
"Omnishambles" has been named word of the year by the Oxford English Dictionary.

The word - meaning a situation which is shambolic from every possible angle - was coined in 2009 by the writers of BBC political satire The Thick of It.

See full story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20309441
Emerald Dream
November 15th, 2012, 02:34 PM
How odd. What was wrong with saying "no-win situation?"
FreeFall
November 15th, 2012, 11:46 PM
Ah. Now instead of saying "we're so screwed" all I have omnishambles! Time to make people sick of me and my new best word friend!
TigerBoy
November 16th, 2012, 11:59 AM
How odd. What was wrong with saying "no-win situation?"

Perhaps because it is one word rather than a phrase. Because the speaker may feel that the situation can't be measured in terms of 'winning' (eg discussing the lack of organisation at a social dance).

Maybe you can tell me why Americans love to replace the nicely compact word "use" with the pretentious sounding "leverage" ?
FreeFall
November 16th, 2012, 01:04 PM
Perhaps because it is one word rather than a phrase. Because the speaker may feel that the situation can't be measured in terms of 'winning' (eg discussing the lack of organisation at a social dance).

Maybe you can tell me why Americans love to replace the nicely compact word "use" with the pretentious sounding "leverage" ?
Omnishamble and leverage. I'm going to use these, I will find a way! We do that though? Eh, we're probably using it the wrong context anyways. I've never leveraged leverage in my daily vocabulary ;)
Emerald Dream
November 16th, 2012, 04:25 PM
Perhaps because it is one word rather than a phrase. Because the speaker may feel that the situation can't be measured in terms of 'winning' (eg discussing the lack of organisation at a social dance).

Maybe you can tell me why Americans love to replace the nicely compact word "use" with the pretentious sounding "leverage" ?

I've never heard "leverage" in place of "use." Sorry, I can't speak for other Americans if they are doing this.
TigerBoy
November 16th, 2012, 04:36 PM
I've never heard "leverage" in place of "use." Sorry, I can't speak for other Americans if they are doing this.

You probably aren't pretentious then :P I've noticed it mainly in IT articles, and I think it gets used in the same way some academics tend to [-]leverage[/-] use obscure or long words to dress up their language rather than to help communicate their ideas, making an omnishambles of the whole article.