Have you ever heard the word, tsundere(a person who pretends to be indifferent in front of others but has a warm heart)? The word received the 1st rank among the newly coined words which people most commonly used in 2016. However, tsundere is now an old-fashioned word because new trendy words are being coined every day, and those new words accompany new trends. If so, where do the new words come from? Who coined them? Let’s see what the new 2017 words might be. -Ed.


  Neologism is the name of a new word which is coined for more convenient communication. Nowadays, they are often coined due to the universal usage of the internet and smart phones. People usually abbreviate or shorten words in cyberspace. Neologisms are commonly used to describe new concepts or things, so neologisms are sometimes loanwords. These are also sometimes coined to reinforce the power of an expression or to convert existing words into better ones.
  The biggest reason for coining neologisms has been the development of the internet. Social networking services have affected people’s languages. Recently, typing errors and linguistic lapses have turned into neologisms. New words from celebrities or popular TV programs also become neologisms. Linguists used to have a negative view on this phenomenon because Hangeul is being destroyed, but recent linguists now positively accept the new words which can revitalize past words.

  What do CBNU students think about newly coined words? Most students say that they frequently use the words for the sake of convenience and simplicity. However, some students express concerns on possible matters of our language. A CBNU student, Choi Seul-ah(’15, School of Business) said, “I think using neologisms negatively influences our communication. I sometimes feel embarrassed when I receive text messages from my friends with words that I’ve never heard before. I’m afraid that, in the near future, I won’t be able to communicate with friends. However, I cannot avoid using the new words because most of my friends use them in their daily lives.”
  In contrast, there are also students who think of neologisms as useful tools. A CBNU student, Kim Seo-hyun(’15, Dept. of Animal Science) said, “It is very convenient to use abbreviated words when talking on SNS or messengers with friends. Recently, I haven’t had to give a wordy explanation to others because people can understand the meaning of shorten messages with ease.”



  ‘1conomy’ is a combination of two words: one person and economy. It indicates people who enjoy spending money on themselves. 1conomy people lead the economy by eating or drinking alone. Prepared food for one person in convenience stores and cafés or restaurants are targeting the singles, and the influence of 1conomy seems to be growing greater.

  YOLO(You only live once) life originated from the lyrics of the song 'The Motto’ by the Canadian singer Drake. YOLO represents recent people’s lifestyles where people put their own happiness first. This word implies that people have to enjoy their lives and shouldn’t regret the past. Instead of investing for the future, YOLO people spend money for today’s foods and trips. They even choose to take a trip around the world instead of investing for their future housing.



  Recently, young people are having a hard time getting a job. As unemployment doesn’t seem to be abating, words representing that issue are on the rise. Two new expressions are ‘Tissue Intern’ and ‘Chief Intern’. Tissue Intern means a person who is thrown out after he or she is exploited, which is like tissue that is easily used and thrown out. Chief Intern indicates a person who has been in an internship for a lengthy amount of time. ‘Gold-tern’ and ‘Soil-tern’ are also newly coined words. Gold-tern means a person in a workplace of superior quality where common people without any personal connection cannot work. Soil-tern means a person who does a simple task. Those linguistic satires are funny but sad. 



  Recently, people prefer to upload videos or photos on their Instagram rather than send short texts. The new word 'isseo-bility' was coined and means an ability to dignify oneself. For example, people with isseo-bility expose their expensive possessions, such as their car keys or the logos of the cars, and upload their pictures in cafes with luxurious laptops and coffee mugs.

By Choi Ji-su
 js36@cbnu.ac.kr
By Lee Sang-yi
 sy36@cbnu.ac.kr