IT’S accepted that language changes and evolves. But that doesn’t mean we should start taking this vocabularic wankery seriously:
Vibe
Fine when used by A-level art students to describe their crap coursework in the smoking area. Unacceptable when used by adults who mean ‘atmosphere’. Patrons of a rough pub will kick your teeth down your throat if you describe their terrifying hostelry or surly, aggressive manner as sending out ‘bad vibes’, and they will be morally right to do so.
Soberennial
A coinage made up by some Telegraph hack for a quick buck. It never took off because it was bollocks. It’s so annoying and clunky the ‘millennial’ back end of the portmanteau looks like finely wrought poetry. Using this word should come with a penalty, preferably the death one.
Content
As in the substance of something, not feeling happy. This word can be blamed on years of undervaluing the arts, so that any creative output is seen as little more than filler material like mattress stuffing. The Mona Lisa? That’s just old content being monetised by French content-provider the Louvre.
Butthurt
Used to describe feelings of offence or resentment, which is uncanny because that’s exactly what you feel when people drop ‘butthurt’ into conversation. Everyone hoped this knuckleheaded word would be confined to Reddit forums and teenage boys, but now it’s in the dictionary there’s no going back. Maybe inventing language was a mistake.
Influencer
Not too egregious in itself, but it’s a term used by YouTubers, Twitch streamers and Tiktokkers so it needs to go straight in the bin. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were influencing you to support social justice or world peace, but strangely it’s always a sponsorship deal or their latest crappy ‘merch drop’.
Snowflake
It’s gone from a moderately amusing joke to a real word thanks to Talkradio, the Telegraph and suburban fascists’ channel GB News. Used to describe easily offended people, by people who instantly get offended if you suggest Churchill wasn’t perfect in every way. Do some damage limitation by refusing to use it for anything except falling ice crystals.
