It's that time of the year when publishers of major dictionaries bombard us with what they regard as the "words of the year". They rarely agree on the same offering, but there is one common theme -- nearly all words selected are frankly rather depressing.
PostScript has already reported on the Collins word of the year, "permacrisis" defined as "an extended period of instability and insecurity". Now that sounds like fun.
This week the online dictionary Merriam-Webster named "gaslighting" as its top word for 2022. It is a term frequently used for the process of manipulating someone so they become confused, distressed and start questioning themselves. It is a bit of a worry that it is being increasingly used in everyday language. The term originated from the 1944 film Gaslight in which an evil husband through psychological means makes his wife feel she is going insane.
