CORONAVIRUS HAS LED TO AN EXPLOSION

OF NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

What we know for a fact is that no one stops learning vocabulary. No matter the language,
new words are popping out in our face almost every day. 

1. Do you know the meaning of the following words?

INFODEMIC, COVEXIT, BLURSDAY, QUARANTEAMS, ZOOMBOMBING, ELBOW-BUMP

2. Do you want to learn 730 words a year?

Keep on reading! 

Cisco telepresence videoconference system, https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Cisco-

telepresence-videoconference-system_fig2_221927470

As the world comes to grips with the "new normal" coronavirus has wrought on our towns,
cities and communities, society faces the challenge of figuring out how to talk about the
impact the virus is having on our everyday lives.

Coronavirus has led to an explosion of new words and phrases, both in English and in other
languages. This new vocabulary helps us make sense of the changes that have suddenly
become part of our everyday lives.

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Established terms such as "self-isolating", "pandemic", "quarantine", "lockdown" and "key
workers", have increased in use, while coronavirus/COVID-19 neologisms are being coined
quicker than ever.

These include "covidiot" (someone ignoring public health advice), "covideo party" (online

parties via Zoom or Skype), and "covexit" (the strategy for exiting lockdown), elbow- bump,
while coronavirus has acquired new descriptors – including "the 'rona" and "Miley
Cyrus" (Cockney rhyming slang).

Other terms deal with the material changes in our everyday lives, from "Blursday” (an
unspecified day because of lockdown’s disorientating effect on time) to “zoom
bombing” (hijacking a Zoom videocall). “WFH” (working from home)
and “quaranteams” (online teams created during lockdown) are helping people deal with
changing work circumstances.

Perhaps one of the biggest factors in the spread of coronavirus terminology is the fact that
we’re more digitally connected than ever before – in a way we weren’t during the SARS
outbreak in 2002 or the Swine Flu outbreak in 2009. Instant access to social media is now an
integral part of our lives – and we share content with friends and family through a variety of
social media outlets. The scale of our online connections means that there are now far more
opportunities for individuals to coin a new term and share it beyond their immediate local
communities.

https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-has-led-to-an-explosion-of-new-words-and-phrases-and-that-helps-us-cope-136909, May 2020

What is the difference between EPIDEMIC, PANDEMIC AND INFODEMIC?

INFODEMIC is a blend of "information" and "epidemic" typically referring to a sudden

and excessive amount of information about a problem.

In February 2020, the term was used by the World Health Organization to refer to (mostly
false) information about the COVID-19 outbreak.
Facts, rumours, and fears can mix and spread quickly leading to diffi culty in parsing
out essential information about an issue. This term has seen renewed usage in the
wake of COVID-19.

Pandemic – is an epidemic that’s spread over multiple countries or continents

Epidemic – is a disease that affects a large number of people within a community,

population, or region.

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Task 1
FIND THE WORDS THAT MATCH THE DEFINITIONS BELOW. ALL BUT ONE ARE HIGHLIGHTED
IN THE TEXTS ABOVE.
Example:
1 a - infodemic

1. INFODEMIC a blend of "information" and "epidemic" typically referring

to a sudden and excessive amount of information about a
problem.
2. a gesture (usually of greeting or farewell) in which two people
lightly tap their elbows together as an alternative to a
handshake or embrace, esp. in order to reduce the risk of
spreading or catching an infectious disease.”
3. to work from home, either as a regular or permanent alternative
to office work or on an occasional or temporary basis.
4. self-imposed isolation undertaken in order to avoid catching or
transmitting an infectious disease

5. the strategy for exiting lockdown

6. an unspecified day because of lockdown’s disorientating effect

on time

7. hijacking a Zoom video call

8. online parties via Zoom or Skype

9. online teams created during lockdown

10. is an epidemic that’s spread over multiple countries or

continents

11. is a disease that affects a large number of people within a

community, population, or region.
12. a state of isolation or restricted access instituted as a security
measure
13. an employee who provides a vital service, especially in the
police, health, or education sectors

14. personal protective (or protection) equipment

15. a previously unusual occurrence that has become commonplace

16. a newly coined word or expression

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Task 2
Learn One Word per Day

Learning one word per day sounds like a task for kindergarten children. This strategy
doesn’t require motivation and effort. It is an effective habit, which if implemented, will
provide a lot of new vocabulary language in the longer run.

If you believe that you can do better, start learning two words each day. That will definitely
make a bigger difference.

Think about it:

365 days multiplied by 2. That means an average of 700 new words per year!
https://omniglot.com/language/articles/vocablearningtips.htm

Enhance your English systematically with ONE-WORD-A-DAY (OWAD)

Example:
Your word for Sunday 10th of May 2020 is:

*** bugaboo ***

a) something wet and slippery

b) something scary and frightening

c) something defective or broken

Please click the correct definition

If you want to subscribe, it’s free: https://www.owad.de/index.php

Some Other Sites to Learn a New Word Every Day:

https://www.thoughtco.com/learn-a-new-word-every-day-sites-1689709

https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-day/chariness-2020-05-16/