In a significant reflection of the world's growing preoccupation with environmental preservation, Collins Dictionary has named 'Climate Strike' its Word of the Year for 2019. This decision underscores how global social movements are fundamentally reshaping the English language, moving it away from light-hearted trends toward urgent, politically charged discourse.

The Rise of Environmental Activism

The term 'Climate Strike' refers to a form of protest where individuals abstain from school or work to demand decisive action against climate change. The surge in its popularity is directly linked to the 'Fridays for Future' movement, popularized by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. In September 2019, a massive global mobilization saw an estimated 7.6 million people taking to the streets, marking one of the largest climate demonstrations in human history.

Linguistic Evolution in a Political Era

Lexicographers at Collins monitored a massive 9.5 billion-word corpus to identify this trend. Helen Newstead, Collins’ head of language content, noted that while previous years saw words like 'bingewatch' or 'photobomb' topping the charts, the current era is defined by a more serious, politically driven atmosphere. The 100-fold increase in the usage of 'Climate Strike' highlights the inescapable nature of the climate crisis in modern conversation.

Beyond the Climate: The Impact of Global Events

The dictionary also highlighted the linguistic impact of Brexit through its specially curated 'Brexicon'. This list includes terms like Brexiteer and Brexiety, demonstrating how major geopolitical shifts create entirely new linguistic niches. Whether it is the fallout of Brexit or the urgency of the climate emergency, the evolution of language continues to mirror the volatility and concerns of the global populace.