Germany’s ‘Anglicism’ of the year is ‘Fake News’

BERLIN – Meet Germany’s English import of the year: “Fake News.”

A jury of academics on Tuesday announced that the increasingly ubiquitous phrase, which Germans almost invariably use in the original English, has been chosen as “Anglicism of the year” for 2016. It beat “Darknet,” ”Hate Speech” and variations on “Brexit/-exit.”

The jury, which includes specialists in languages, said the winner was distinguished by its “overwhelming and sustained public presence” and that “it fills a gap in German vocabulary that can’t entirely be filled without the word ‘fake.’”

Concern is high in Germany about the possible impact of deliberately bogus news on the country’s election in September.

In a separate decision, “postfaktisch” — or “post-truth” — was declared Germany’s word of the year for 2016 in December.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles