'Goblin mode': Word of the year: BBC News Review 2022

January 23, 2023



The story
What word describes lazy, greedy, shameless behaviour?

It’s ‘goblin mode’ – and it’s the word of the year according to one UK publisher. But where does it come from?

Since the pandemic, some people have realised they don’t want to go back to the lifestyle they had before. They want to stay in goblin mode.

Oxford University Press chooses a word each year that reflects the mood of the last twelve months.

Key words and phrases:
speaks to
reflects
– Climate change speaks to a failure of governments for decades.
– Obama said “Brexit speaks to challenges raised by globalisation”.

over
bored of something that has been happening for a long time
– I’ve so over the World Cup. I wish everyone would stop talking about it!
– I’m really over this year. It’s been one bad thing after another.

unveils
shows for the first time
– The prime minister has unveiled her plan for the next financial year.-
The monument will be unveiled in a public ceremony on Saturday.

0:00 – Introduction
0:26 – Story
1:19 – Headline 1: The Guardian: ‘Goblin mode’: new Oxford word of the year speaks to the times
3:28 – Headline 2: Huffington Post: Oxford’s Word Of The Year Sums Up Exactly How Over Everything We All Are
5:20 – Headline 3: Fox News: Oxford dictionary unveils 2022 word of the year: ‘Goblin mode’
6:41 – Language summary

[Image: Getty]

For a quiz and downloads, check out our website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/newsreview-2022/unit-1/session-48

#vocabulary #wordoftheyear #goblinmode #newsreview #learnenglish #englishvocabulary

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29 Comments
  1. ল্যাদখোর এককথায়…

  2. After watching your videos I'm learning English with vocabulary 2 thing in one go it's really very good for me. Thankyou

  3. Vocabulary from the video BBC news review " Goblin mode: Word of the year" :
    Goblin (n) is a small, ugly, slightly dangerous, fictional creature from the Harry Potter book series.
    Goblin mode – a way of doing something in a kind of unpleasant, embarrassing way. It describes when people are lazy, greedy, and selfish. So they go goblin mode. They stay in goblin mode. Goblin mode is the Oxford Word of the year that reflects the mood of the past twelve months.
    1) Speak to (v) – reflect. Goblin mode speaks to the times. It means the word Goblin mode reflects the current times. Exp: The climate crisis speaks to the failure of governments for decades. It means that the climate crisis reflects the failure. The election result speaks to the population's anger with the government.
    2) Over (adj) – bored of something that has been happening for a long time. You are over something. It means you are tired, bored, and unenthusiastic about something. So you've had enough of it, you are fed up. Exp: I am so over World Cup. Maybe in the beginning I was enthusiastic, but now I've had enough of it. We've been planning this party for ages! I'm so over it.
    3) Unveil (v) – to show for the first time. Literal meaning – remove or uncover something; Metaphorical meaning – reveal or uncover something ceremonially like a grand thing, a new exhibition, a statue, a monument, celebrity thing. Exp: Oxford Dictionary unveils 2022 word of the year "Goblin mode". The new company logo will be unveiled this afternoon.
    During the pandemic time, people were forced to be lazy with nothing to do. Therefore, even after that time many people still stay in goblin mode with lazy, greedy, and shameless behavior. The word "Goblin mode" was chosen to be the Word of the year that speaks to the times. You need to be over this mode to back to normal life activities. That means you are bored of doing nothing and starting to back to work like you used to be. The word Goblin mode was unveiled by Oxford Dictionary to become the 2022 Word of the Year.
    Many thanks for this kind video.

  4. Thanks both of you great job🇮🇳🙏👍

  5. I spent my college years listening to your wonderful channel and your eligibile teachers because I was studying English as a specialty. So, now after graduation I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart cuz I can understand and speak the British accent ♡♥︎. I was received many compliments by my professors due to using a British accent. My only wish is to work in a place that I can get benefit from my accent and my language 🥺♥. Love you all from Iraq 🇮🇶 and hope I will visit Britain one day.

  6. Reply
    Md Emran English discussion January 23, 2023 at 4:30 am

    Attractive creative activity.Thank you.

  7. Reply
    Md Emran English discussion January 23, 2023 at 4:30 am

    Excellent expression.

  8. Wow…very knowledgeable video

  9. Hello everyone is there some one who could help me? Because i am learning English and looking for foreign friend for improving my skills

  10. Japan’s word of the year is Battle.

  11. So they plan to completely destroy that building so that man as well as everyone living in it would perish. Muhammad Qasim Dreams

  12. You have done a mammoth task unveiling news headlines on a regular basis to us, enthusiastic English learners. Personally I think I'm not gonna be over your content as it speaks to what I need in everyday English conversation with my friends and teachers. Thank you for always being dedicated!

  13. I learned a lot of vocabulary from BBC News Review.🙂

  14. Thank you so much for the most useful videos, I love the channel. Beth's non verbal communication skill is really amazing.
    I am not over the World Cup at all, on the contrary I am so into it😇

  15. Ov … thank you Neil and Bath. I love goblin mode.

  16. This is awful this is a racist goblin stereotype this is gobcist.

  17. Excellent presentation.

  18. sad state of affairs when " GOLBIN MODE " is the word of the year reflecting the mood

  19. Very useful! Thank you 🌲🌲🌲

  20. This is the one and only english learning platform for me i like to learn as well from on this way clearly

  21. 2:27 He sounds like meaning that the pandemic is over.

  22. Reply
    YokkiEnglish หยกกี้อิงลิช January 23, 2023 at 4:30 am

    What an interesting word! Thank you for sharing😊

  23. Reply
    Ahmed abdirahmaan Husen January 23, 2023 at 4:30 am

    Thanks you teams of BBC learning English

  24. Beth's non-verbal communication is great to understand new words, like over. Thanks a bunch !

  25. Ye ye listen to me … Listen from a true bong !! We call it " LYADH" !!!

  26. I’m glad “Goblin Mode” won rather than “Metaverse”

  27. Reply
    Πετρος Νικου January 23, 2023 at 4:30 am

    Goblin mode unveils over

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