Brave New Word

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Right now dictionary additions are filthy with Gen Y words. YOLO, hashtag, selfie, bestie and even a few that might make your Mum blush and confuse the bejesus out of your Nan. You can find a list of quarterly updates to the Oxford English Dictionary here.

Often these updates are met with conjecture and much tutting by those who worship at the alter of proper speak.

As a professional word applier, anything new I can chuck into a document is rapture-raising professional fodder and as an Australian, any abbreviation is totes amaze.

Here's a newy (of course if us Aussies can't shorten, we lengthen ... it's form of endearment people) I am loving:

catfish
A catfish is someone who pretends to be someone they're not using Facebook or other social media to create false identities, particularly to pursue deceptive online romances.
Did you hear how Dave got totally catfished last month?! The fox he thought he was talking to turned out to be a pervy guy from San Diego!
or
I was really falling for that gorgeous gal on Facebook, but she turned out to be a catfish.

Admittedly, it's going to be a struggle to wedge a reference to catfishing into anything work-related today but as soon as it happens I'll let you know.

Here's another building block to add to your word wall.