"Goblin mode" is the Oxford Dictionary word of the year

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I do have a bit of trouble with a multi-word phrase being accorded "word of the year" status, but that's mostly an aesthetic preference.

Apparently the number three choice was a hashtag, so it could have been worse.

 

[Umbran]

Unfortunately not online or in politics. Things are either 1 or 10, sucks or awesome, there is no kinda sucks or just meh anymore. Seems to depend on which side one is promoting.

I mean, I was noting that "not genius" does not logically mean "stupid", to put brakes on that assertion, but yeah, I get what you mean.

 

[BrokenTwin]

All three choices listed were incredibly niche and/or not singular words. But it was open to public internet voting, so it's functionally just a popularity contest made to garner attention to the Oxford Dictionary (Boaty McBoatface is coming to mind). And it definitely worked for them, because this is the fourth place I've heard about it, and this poll is the first I've heard of any of them aside from Metaverse.

Merriam-Webster's word of the year is gaslighting, which is both more topical to the year as a whole and actually written as a singular word.

2024 Word of the Year: Polarization

Plus 'demure,' 'totality,' 'allision,' and other words that defined the year

www.merriam-webster.com

... But yeah, I can't really hate the term Goblin Mode. If nothing else, it winning inspired my GM to resurrect our goblin campaign.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

All three choices listed were incredibly niche and/or not singular words. But it was open to public internet voting, so it's functionally just a popularity contest made to garner attention to the Oxford Dictionary (Boaty McBoatface is coming to mind). And it definitely worked for them, because this is the fourth place I've heard about it, and this poll is the first I've heard of any of them aside from Metaverse.

Merriam-Webster's word of the year is gaslighting, which is both more topical to the year as a whole and actually written as a singular word.

2024 Word of the Year: Polarization

Plus 'demure,' 'totality,' 'allision,' and other words that defined the year

www.merriam-webster.com

... But yeah, I can't really hate the term Goblin Mode. If nothing else, it winning inspired my GM to resurrect our goblin campaign.

This may sound odd…but I am genuinely inspired to have a goblin king as a major bad guy (or ally!) just from you saying that.

Like a flash of inspiration

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Uh, wow. That happened. I came into this thread expecting a fun discussion about goblins and internet etymology. Not whatever that was.

 

[Tonguez]

I really enjoy being old and out of touch with all these new fangled modern lingo, kids these days are weird, I wanna party like its 1999!