Self-isolation, quarantine, work from home and social distancing have become the new normal due to the coronavirus pandemic. The global health scare and the unforeseen circumstances it presented have been a completely new experience for everyone. It has altered not just the way we live but also our vocabulary.
In a very short period of time, words such as COVID-19, a shortening of coronavirus disease 2019, sanitization and social distancing came to dominate our conservations. Some of these words are new coinages and others, previously less-known.
Noticing this, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the world’s biggest English language dictionary, updated its record of English language in April to include COVID-19 and terms related to it.
The April update was a rare move as the OED usually updates its record only four times a year.
Did you know?
Previous pandemics have also given rise to new vocabulary. Words such as “pestilence” a fatal epidemic or disease – came into use after the bubonic plague swept Europe between 1347 and 1351.
The adjective “self-quarantined” was first used in 1878 to describe the actions of the villagers of Eyam in the 17th Century, who isolated themselves to prevent the second wave of “Black Death” from spreading to surrounding villages.
Some others words that were added to the dictionary during the pandemic:
Social distancing
Social distancing was originally an attitude rather than a physical term. Now we all understand it as keeping a physical distance between ourselves and others to avoid infection.
Self-isolation
Self-imposed isolation to prevent catching or transmitting an infectious disease has become a popular term. But back in the 1800s, the term referred to countries that chose to detach themselves politically and economically from the rest of the world.
WFH
“Working (or work) from home, wither as a regular or permanent alternative to office work or on an occasional or temporary basis.”
Elbow bump
A gesture (usually of greeting or farewell) in which two people lightly tap their elbows together as an alternative to a handshake or embrace, in order to reduce the risk of spreading or catching an infectious disease.
PPE
Personal protection equipment is designed to provide the wearer or user protection against hazardous substances or environments, or to prevent transmission of infectious diseases. Formerly, the abbreviation was used only by healthcare and emergency professionals.
Infodemic
Infodemic (a portmanteau word from information and epidemic) is the outpouring of often unsubstantiated media and online information relating to a crisis.
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