American Dialect Society Declares "Salty" the Most Likely to Succeed Word of 2015

Syke1 · January 18, 2015, 9:32pm

Last week, the American Dialect Society held its 25th Word of the Year proceedings at its annual conference in Portland, Ore…

But just as intriguing was the winner in the Most Likely to Succeed category: “salty,” defined as “exceptionally bitter, angry, or upset.” “Salty” is a great example of how slang can be cyclical: The “new” meaning of the word actually stretches back eight decades in African-American usage, but it has been revived for a millennial audience.

“Salty” persisted as urban slang in cities like Philadelphia, where its meaning continued to evolve. As 15-year-old Nisha Michelle explained to the Philadelphia Inquirerlast year, getting “salty” can suggest annoyance at being embarrassed over a mistake: “You thought you were right, but you’re wrong.”

At the Word of the Year vote, “salty” was nominated by Pearl Shavzin, an adjunct lecturer in anthropology at Hunter College, who has been tracking its usage in recent years. She noticed its rise in** the fighting game community (FGC), a racially diverse subculture of videogaming**.

In online forums like Reddit, where the FGC has an active presence, “salty” began crossing over into wider usage, Ms. Shavzin observed. Often, it appears as a term to mock someone’s frustration in coming up short competitively, not just in a videogame.

Recently, Twitter users threw “salty” around after Ohio State won college football’s national championship game over Oregon, leading to some schadenfreude over the saltiness of the Oregon faithful. “Oregon fans are more salty than the roads in the winter,” read one tweet from Ohio.

“Salty” also handily illustrates the winner in the Most Creative category in the Word of the Year vote: “columbusing,” a term popularized by a College Humor video to describe white people “discovering” things already known to minority cultures. As “salty” gets “columbused,” this sturdy bit of African-American slang will likely continue working its way into mainstream acceptance. Just take its apparent novelty with a grain of salt.

Stay influential Black people/East Coast. Stay late non FGC caucazoids. Funniest part is Reddit still gets more credit than us.

Matriarch · January 18, 2015, 9:53pm

If only a white person added a word to the English language.

That sure would be something to see.

KillaFox · January 18, 2015, 10:03pm

I was hoping it was Fuccboi but Salty works too

Syke1 · January 18, 2015, 10:09pm

But…nothing was added…that’s the point. You just come out of the woodwork just to be a downer?

NickRocks · January 18, 2015, 10:18pm

Welcome to 2004. Nothing new here

SoVi3t · January 18, 2015, 10:34pm

wtf does it mean “most likely to succeed”. This word going to graduate, go to law school, and get a job at a prestigious law firm?

DoctaMario · January 18, 2015, 11:10pm

What you mean like the other 5 billion words in the English language?

crucades · January 18, 2015, 11:12pm

American Dialect Society huh, they acknowledge the word has been in usage for 8 decades and they recognize it in 2015?

SoVi3t · January 18, 2015, 11:12pm

Most of the english language is just stolen from other languages, anyways.

po_pimpus · January 18, 2015, 11:17pm

Why is this a thread?

I can’t leave you guys alone for a second without re-posting shitty front page idiocy…

DoctaMario · January 18, 2015, 11:17pm

Fuxxed.

Syke1 · January 18, 2015, 11:21pm

http://stanorrtrainparts.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/media/Morton-web2.gif

I was actually reading the Wall Street Journal when I saw this. You really do like to just run your mouth.

po_pimpus · January 18, 2015, 11:31pm

That article has been linked on the front page since at least Friday.

And again I ask: “Why is this a thread?”

SoVi3t · January 18, 2015, 11:34pm

…you still read SRK’s front page??

I just come straight to GD.

Syke1 · January 18, 2015, 11:35pm

I (and I bet a bunch of gd) don’t read the front page so I would have no way of knowing. But it seems you do. I guess Beta was right about your fraudulence.

Because I pressed “Post” you kak

Ash_Crimson · January 18, 2015, 11:38pm

Po Pimpus literally sitting in his chair, shrivelled micropenis in hand, shaking furiously at the thought of someone posting a thread.

NickRocks · January 19, 2015, 12:00am

LMFAO AT ASH vs PO
THIS IS NOW A VS THREAD

SoVi3t · January 19, 2015, 12:06am

and ash is winning, right now

petran79 · January 19, 2015, 1:19am

they did!

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/52822786.jpg

SNAAAAKE · January 19, 2015, 2:22am

THANKS SANFORD