Podcast is 2005 word of the year
The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have(declared)“podcast” as the Word of the Year for 2005. It now officially has the definition: “A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program,
(made) available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player.” The term was
(coined) by combining “iPod” and “broadcast”. However, the amalgamation is something of a
(misnomer) as Apple Computers, which makes the iPod,
(originally) had little to do with podcasting technology. Podcasts can, in fact, be listened to on any maker of digital audio player and are becoming (ubiquitous) in broadcasting and online. Erin McKean, the dictionary’s editor-in-chief, said: “The word has finally
(caught) up with the rest of the iPod
(phenomenon).”
McKean, a (seasoned) lexicographer, has the
(unenviable) and near impossible task of choosing the word of the year. She said: “It is incredibly difficult. Not just because of the enormous amount of data. We look at everything from blogs to technical
(journals)to suggestions sent to [our website].…Everyone has such strong opinions about what makes a word Word of the Year
(material) . You’d be amazed at how hard our editors campaign for their favorites. I’m surprised nobody tried to
(bribe) me - except that the only thing I really want is more
(cool) new words.” Runners-up for the 2005 Word of the Year include “bird flu” (a fatal virus emanating from wild fowl), “sudoku” (a Japanese
(logic)-based numerical puzzle) and “squick” (to cause immediate and
(thorough) revulsion).