Latest from the blog

Posted on11 November 2020

Word of the Year 2020: Lockdown

This week the Collins Dictionary announced that their word of the year 2020 is ‘lockdown‘. Lockdown is a noun which describes the imposition of restrictions on travel, social interaction and access to public spaces and was apparently chosen because it represents the experience of so many people across the globe this year.

2020 Word Of The Year

Other words considered for this year’s word of the year were:

  • Coronavirus
  • Black Lives Matter
  • Key Workers
  • Furlough
  • Self-Isolate
  • Social Distancing
  • TikToker
  • Mukbang
  • Megxit

Key Worker 2020

Previous Words of the Year

Previous words of the year include ‘climate strike‘ from 2019, ‘single-use‘ from 2018, ‘fake news‘ from 2017, ‘Brexit‘ from 2016, ‘Binge-watch‘ from 2015, ‘photobomb‘ from 2014 and ‘geek‘ from 2013. In 2012 the Collins Dictionary decided one word wasn’t enough and they actually selected one word for each month:

  • January – Broga
  • February – Legbomb
  • March – Eurogeddon
  • April – Mummy Porn
  • May – Zuckered
  • June – Jubilympics
  • July – Romneyshambles
  • August – Games Makers
  • September – 47 per cent
  • October – Superstorm
  • November – Gangnam Style
  • December – Fiscal Cliff

I’m afraid that I had to look up some of the words above as I obviously wasn’t paying enough attention to popular culture in 2012! Broga is apparently a yoga class geared for men (!), a legbomb occurs when a person shows off a lot of leg (the mind boggles) and Romneyshambles has something to do with US presidential candidate Mitt Romney and the London 2012 Olympics? I can only presume that after the 2012 selection, many of which did not stand the test of time, the Collins Dictionary decided that one word a year was quite enough.

The word of the year is an interesting reflection of the past and a snapshot of society at the time. It’s also impossible to predict as language evolves to meet our needs. In fact, in 2015, the Oxford English Dictionary word of the year wasn’t even a word with any letters, but an emoji!

Personal Word of the Year

My word of the year? If it is a word new to me then it would probably be ‘Zoom‘, thanks to the technology that has meant that work and family connections have continued remotely. If it’s a word that already existed in my vocabulary then it would be ‘Home,’ somewhere that has been a place of work, a school, a gym, a dance studio, an animation suite, a restaurant and a refuge. We have spent a lot more time at home this year and I’m grateful that the roof over my head has been a safe place (apart from that moment when I broke my elbow – but that’s another story)!

*****************************

Atlas Translations take care of every aspect of your translation. From advice and discussion to a clear and itemised quotation, through to delivery in the format you need. Dedicated, experienced project managers guide you through the process. Telephone calls answered. Emails replied to. Humans. People. Experts all the way.

As a leading language services provider, Atlas Translations has experience working in many sectors, translating and localizing digital content from Apps to websites.

Call us on 01727 812 725 to let us know what you need and we can let you know straightaway if we can help. Alternatively, send us an email to team@atlas-translations.co.uk . We respond quickly to all enquiries. Or use the little icons here on the website for live chat (it really is one of us) or to request a call back within 27 seconds.

We have recently starting using TrustPilot and you can see our reviews to date here: https://www.trustpilot.com/evaluate/www.atlas-translations.co.uk

ATC – Full membership of the ATC (Association of Translation Companies). Company of the Year 2020 & 2021.

CIEP – Corporate membership of the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) since 1993.

Corporate membership of the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) since 1994. Corporate Member of the Year 2021.

ISO 17100 – ISO 17100:2017 for Translation Services (since this standard began, in 2008, externally audited annually).

ISO 9001 – BS EN ISO 9001:2015 (certified since 2003, externally audited annually).

Living wage employer – As a living wage employer, we believe our staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs.

Mindful employer

Mindful employer – We are a mindful employer, working toward achieving better mental health at work.

Logo

Disability confident committed – We are Disability Confident Committed, ensuring our recruitment, communications and support are inclusive and accessible.

4-day week

4-day week employer since 2019

GBC_Accredited_Logo

Good Business Charter Member since 2022

The Slator Language Service Provider Index (LSPI) is a ranking and an index of the world’s largest translation, localization, interpreting, and language technology companies.

PIF

The Patient Information Forum promotes access to trusted and high-quality health information for the public and healthcare professionals.

Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

Member of the Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

Prompt Payment Code

Signatory of the Prompt Payment Code since 2023.