In its latest announcement, the Myslovo Dictionary of the Modern Ukrainian Language has identified ‘mobilization’ as Ukraine’s most significant word for the year 2023. This term, often equated with draft or conscription, has been pivotal in calling up eligible Ukrainian citizens for military service.
The choice of ‘mobilization’ reflects its central role in national discourse, especially following the introduction of mobilization bill in parliament in December, according to the Myslovo dictionary team.
The word ‘counteroffensive’ secured the second spot in the year’s linguistic ranking. It was noted by the dictionary that while ‘counteroffensive’ gained substantial media attention, it was overshadowed by ‘mobilization’ due to the latter’s broader impact and the palpable frustration over the former’s unmet expectations.
Additional words that contended for the title included terms directly linked to the ongoing full-scale war, such as ‘ukhyliant’ (draft dodger), ‘blockade/deblockade’, ‘positional warfare’, and ‘drone’. Also among the words of the year were ‘summer in Crimea,’ a phrase by Chief of Defence Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, representing the Ukrainian public’s inflated expectations from the counteroffensive, ‘positional warfare,’ gaining prominence after a publication by Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi about the war entering a new phase and ‘conflict,’ reflecting societal disputes, including the presumed conflict between President Zelenskyy and Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi.
Notably, ‘AI’ (artificial intelligence) was the only globally relevant term in the list, primarily due to its integration into military technology.
Since its inception in 2012, the Myslovo dictionary, known for documenting contemporary linguistic trends in Ukrainian, including slang and neologisms, has been selecting the Word of the Year. This choice, now in its eleventh iteration, hinges on a word’s prevalence and societal impact. The platform encourages public contributions to its growing lexicon.
The phrase “Russian warship, go f**k yourself,” famously uttered by Ukrainian sailors, was the standout phrase for 2022.
