'Corruption', 'normalise' and 'self-isolation' also made the shortlist.
PanSALB said the word of the year is “a word, term or expression preferred to reflect the passing year in language”.
“To qualify for consideration, there must be evidence that the usage of the word or expression has increased significantly in the past 12 months across a broad range of media.”
The board said the shortlisted words captured the ethos, mood or preoccupations of 2020.
PanSALB acting CEO Willie Manana added “as the world faces a pandemic and a lot of uncertainty, the tenacity of the human spirit has never been more evident. Language has been at the centre of our response to the pandemic as words such as 'quarantine,' 'pandemic' and 'lockdown' suddenly became part of our everyday vocabulary.”
The winning word will be announced on Friday in Bloemfontein, Free State. The event will coincide with international Dictionary Day, which is commemorated annually on October 16.
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