Top Words of 2012 to be announced December 26th (Boxing Day)

The Top Words, Phrases and Names of 2012 have been announced on Wednesday, December 26, 2012.

To see the Top Words of 2012, go here.

The Global Language Monitor’s Top Words are distinguished from similar efforts because it surveys the entire linguasphere focusing on the 1.83 billion speakers of some form of the English language.

GLM tracks words from a dozen different categories from High Tech to the Cinema throughout the year and determines which have emerged as truly influenclng the global conversation, culture, and events.

GLM tracks citations on the Internet, blogosphere, in new social media as they emerge, as well as major global electronic and print media.

To schedule an interview email info@LanguageMonitor.com or call +1.512.815.8836.

Rank/Word or Phrase/Position in December 2011

Middle Kingdom or China (3)
Europe or Eurogeddon (12)
The Election (6)
Kate (Middleton) (2)
Deficit (7)
Global Warming (10)
Derecho (New)
Olympiad (2)
CERN (9)
Rogue nukes (8)
Near-Earth Asteroid (11)
Arab Spring, successor word to (13)
Bak’tun (4)
Solar max
Hen (gender-neutral personal pronoun in Sweden) (New)
Obesogenic (New)

Top Tech Buzzwords Everyone Uses but Don’t Understand (SXSW)

Big Data
The Cloud
The Next Big Thing
Social Discovery
Web 2.0 (3.0, and so on)
Solid State
CERN
Solar Max
De-dupe
3G/4G/5G
SoLoMo

London Olympics: Obscure Jargon

Citius, Altius, Fortius (Olympic History)
Dead Rubber (Tennis)
Eggbeater (Water Polo)
Fletching (Archery)
Flu-Flu Arrow (Archery)
High Drag Projectile (Badminton)
Impulsion (Equestrian)
Kotinos (Olympic History)
Marathon (Olympic History
Nutmeg or Nuttie (Football)
Pankration
Pheidippidean Pheat (Olympic History)
Repechage
The Snatch Deadlift (Weightlifting)
Victor Ludorum (Olympic History)

Top Politically Correct Buzzwords of 2012

‘Hon’ (Sweden)
Peanut Butter Sandwich
Columbus
Normal (Australia)
Pet Owner
Skin Lightening (India)
Black Peter (Zwarte Piet) (Netherlands and Belgium)
Holding Down the Fort
Rule of Thumb (UK)
White Males of European Descent
Handicap (UK)
Christmas
Prayer
Global English
Politically Correct
Phobes
Speech Codes
Settled Science
Dutch Treat
Global Warming/Climate Change

Top Television Words of 2011-2012 Season (Telewords) (Emmy Week)

Adorkable (Big Bang Theory, New Girl and Modern Family)
Shell Shock (Downton Abbey)
Bi-polar (Homeland)
Dothraki (Game of Thrones)
La Toti (Modern Family)
Scripted
Kate
Fourth Screen
Jubilee
Dramedy (Louie)

Top Words from Hollywood (Hollywords) for the 2011-2012 Season (Oscar Week)

Silence
Mai oui!
Iconic
Transformations
Separateness
Domestics
Dramedy
Bathroom Humor
Why?
Muppets
Ides
Jolie Leg Meme

Fashion Buzzwords of 2012 (February)

The Duchess Effect
Peplums
Braids
Pyjamas
Pippa’s Bum
Paisleys
Gatsby
Pale Colors
Tangerines
Novelty Denim
Luxe Hides
African Prints
Ankle Boots
Mixed florals
Color blocking
The 1920s
The 1940s
The 1950s
Ethical Fashion
Sustainable Fashion

Top Politically Correct Buzzwords of 2012

His and Her, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Columbus, Normal and Pet Owner Top List

The Seventh Global Survey

Words and Phrases from the US, UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, India, Sweden and Australia

Austin, Texas, December 7-9 – ‘His and Her’, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Columbus, Normal and Pet Owner have been named the top politically correct words and phrases of the past year according to The Global Language Monitor in its seventh survey of the global media. Rounding out the top ten were Skin Lightening, Black Peter, Holding Down the Fort, Rule of Thumb, and White Males of European Descent. The survey found words and phrases originating from the US, UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, India, Sweden and Australia.

“This year’s survey once again illustrates the difficulty in engaging in public dialogue without offending those on the right, left, center, or various combinations thereof,” said Paul JJ Payack, president and chief word analyst of The Global Language Monitor. ”We are seeing that continued attempts to remove all bias from language is itself creating an entirely new set of biases.

To see the Top Words of 2012, go here.

The Top Politically Correct Words and Phrases for 2012 include:

‘His and Her’ (Sweden) – The Swedes once again promoting gender-neutrality, this time its with personal pronouns: him [han in Swedish], her [hon] and he/she [hen].
Peanut Butter Sandwich — Deemed by a Portland grade-school principal to be culturally insensitive to children of other cultures.
Columbus – Explorer’s Day, please. Offensive to those who believe Columbus was the beginning of a 16th c. ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ of American Indians, Native Americans, or First Peoples.
Normal (Australia) — According to new guidelines, normal persons in the presence of people with disabilities should not be referred to as ‘normal’ but rather non-disabled persons.
Pet Owner — It is becoming less acceptable to ‘own’ animals, pet owners have been transformed into ‘pet guardians’.
Skin Lightening (India)– A new phenomenon where Indian women lighten their skin to achieve a ‘fair total-body complexion’.
Black Peter (Zwarte Piet) (Netherlands and Belgium) — The companion of Sinterklaas (Santa Clause), most frequently portrayed by whites in blackface. First introduced in the mid-nineteenth century, Black Peter is now considered by many, a racist stereotype.
Holding Down the Fort — Possibly offensive to Native Americans, since we all know who the forts was being held down against.
Rule of Thumb (UK) — Originates from the old English dictum that a husband could not beat his wife or children with any stick wider than his thumb.
White Males of European Descent –From press accounts, you would think this population segment should soon be placed on the EPA’s endangered species list.
Handicap (UK) — Aside from the ‘disabled’ reference, ‘handicap can be offensive to beggars, with ‘cap in hand’.
Christmas — Considered by many under siege until supporters realized that the ’holidays’ in ‘happy holidays’ originated from ‘holy days’ and the ‘X’ in Xmas is the Greek letter ‘chi,’ representing the first two letters of Christ.
Prayer — In public the favored word substitute for ‘prayer’ is now ‘thoughts,’ as in ‘keep hen in your thoughts and wishes’.
Global English – The dominance of the English language worldwide is opposed by those who think it the result of linguistic imperialism or Western Hegemony. Either way, not good.
Politically Correct – The term politically correct is still politically incorrect (or is it incorrect?).
Phobes — The Loyal Opposition? How 19th century, of you; opponents are now cast as afraid and fearful, a ‘-phobe’.
Speech Codes — Limiting free-speech by declaring what is considered offensive off-limits. A hot topic on campus.
Settled Science — In 1925 it was settled science that rockets would not fly in Outer Space. Beware of Settled Science.
Dutch Treat — Possibly offensive to the Dutch, since it portrays them as either (take your choice) thrifty (good) or stingy (bad).
Global Warming/Climate Change — As the temperature continues to rise, the debate continues as to its primary cause. Either phrase is a potential minefield.

The Top Politically Incorrect Terms and Phrases in previous surveys include:

2009: Swine Flu – Various governments and agencies for political motives ranging from protecting pork producers to religious sensitivity insist on calling it by its formal name: influenza A(H1N1).

2008: “He Can’t Win” – Hillary Clinton’s coded reference to Barack Obama’s ethnic background as an insurmountable impediment to him winning the US Presidency.

2007: Nappy-headed Ho — Radio personality Don Imus’ reference to the women on the Rutgers University championship basketball team.

2006: Global Warming Denier – Scientists not denying climate change, but the role of humans in the millennia-old process.

2005: Misguided Criminals – A BBC commentator attempts to strip away all emotion from the word ‘terrorist’ by using ‘neutral’ descriptions for those who carried out the 7/7 tube bombings.

2004: Master/Slave computer jargon – LA County re-labels computer documentation to remove this alleged slur that has been used for decades describing computer hierarchies.

For a complete list of Politically Correct language and controversies since 2003, click here.

About the Global Language Monitor

Austin, Texas-based Global Language Monitor analyzes and catalogues the latest trends in word usage and word choices, and their impact on the various aspects of culture, with a particular emphasis upon Global English. Since 2003, GLM has launched a number of innovative products and services monitoring the Internet, the blogosphere, social media as well as the top print and electronic media sites.

For more information, call 1.512.815.8836, email editor@GlobalLanguageMonitor.com, or visit www.LanguageMonitor.com.

Obama: du candidat super star au président mal aimé

La couverture de l’élection de Barack Obama a été sans commune mesure avec les élections présidentielles de 2000 et 2004. Jacques Portes explique pourquoi le président des Etats-Unis n’a pas réussi à transformer ce succès planétaire en atout au cours de son mandat. Extraits de “Obama, vers un deuxième mandat ?” (1/2).

‘Frankenstorm’ accepted into English Lexicon — Though CNN Demurs

Current East Coast ‘Perfect’ Storm storms pushes Frankenstorm words over qualifying criteria

Austin, Texas, October 29, 2012 – ’Frankenstorm,’ the massive hybrid storm (combination Nor’Easter / Hurricane) currently churning up the Eastern Coast of the United States, has passed the minimum criteria to be considered an English-Language word according to Austin-based Global Language Monitor. The number of citations of Frankenstorm have increased 1000-fold in the last few days.

The storm is officially dubbed Hurricane Sandy, according to the the National Hurricane Center. The names of tropical storms are officially maintained by the World Meteorological Organization.

The Global Language Monitor since 2003 has been recognizing new words once they meet the criteria of a minimum number of citations across the breadth of the English-speaking world, with the requisite depth of usage on the Internet, in social media, and the global print and electronic media,” said Paul JJ Payack, president and chief word analyst of GLM. ”Frankenstorm crossed those threshold earlier today with tens of thousands of references in the global media.”

One holdout is CNN. As quoted in the Washington Post: ”Management at the network has issued a directive not to use ‘Frankenstorm,’ on the rationale that the storm is powerful and deadly. ‘Let’s not trivialize it,’ said the directive, according to CNN meteorologist and severe weather expert Chad Myers.”

The naming of hurricanes have been controversial since 1953, when the practice began of using female names in alphabetical order to name the hurricane. Typically the Atlantic hurricane season produces fewer tropical storms than the twenty-four letters in the English alphabet. Later the use of female names was considered sexist, or at least quaint. and male names were added in 1979. Over the years the names have become increasingly diverse.

The names are chosen in advance and rotated every six years. The Strongest storms, those deemed with historical significance are retired into a sort of Hurricane Hall of Fame.

Click on the adjacent NOAA icon to see the perspective names for all global hurricanes through 2017. The name Frankenstorm is not on any list.

The word ‘Frankenstorm’ is a combination or ‘portmanteau’ word linking Mary Shelley’s character from her novel ‘Frankenstein (or the New Prometheus)’ with the word ‘Storm’ from the O.E. ‘storm’.

One of the word storm’s many senses acquired in the Late Middle Ages is ’to rage’ might be especially pertinent here.

Mary Shelly, eighteen years old when she began her novel, never actually called him Frankenstein, which was actually the name of the monster’s creator, Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creation was referred to simply as ‘the monster”.

Internet Meme

Frankenstorm is also at the center of vigorous internet meme creation. It appears the the Frankenstorm meme might cross-pollinate with any number of now circulating Internet Memes on the pending Presidential Elections on November 6th.

About The Global Language Monitor

“We Tell the World What the Web is Thinking.” Austin-Texas-based Global Language Monitor analyzes and catalogs the latest trends in word usage and word choices, and their impact on the various aspects of culture, with a particular emphasis upon Global English.

For more information, call 1.512.815.8836, email editor@GlobalLanguageMonitor.com, or visit www.LanguageMonitor.com.

Third Debate: a Reverse ‘Rope-a-Hope’

Exclusive Analysis

Austin, Texas. October 23 — The President chose to go on the attack in the Third Presidential Debate last night; in a sort of reverse ‘rope-a-Hope’ strategy the challenger attempted to defuse the pummeling by not quite praising the President’s efforts but, rather, agreeing with him whenever it was even remotely possible. This was the Obama of 2008, though the pounding spoke less of hope and change & more of a desperate attempt to please his base.

For all the chest-pounding on the President’s side of the aisle, er, Spin Room, the fact remained that Obama was back in familiar territory of long sentences, a relatively high usage of the passive voice, with a lower reading ease, and attendant higher grade level scores. Once again, the higher use of the passive voice often is interpreted as attempting to evade ownership or shift responsibility. Obama’s use of passive was more than double his use in the Second Debate. Typically, a bellicose style does not win over the undecided, who seek to be more reassured than shouted at.

Romney’s numbers were remarkably similar during all three debates, which apparently reflects his steady, controlled, ‘gee willikers’-type personality, with a direct, if quaint, speaking style. This is a style of moderate-length, declarative sentences, with little use of the passive voice, and short, direct, and easy to understand words.

Both candidates were attempting to sound (and look) presidential and it was apparent that the second task was quite wearying. Holding back on Biden-esque smirks and Al Gore-ish disdain, feigning interest while keeping their talking points in mind, looked to take a singular toll.

Now the question remains if the Third Debate, along with a narrow win in the Second, is enough to unwind the havoc wrought by Debate No. 1, which introduced Mitt 2.0 (or even 3.0) upon an unsuspecting American electorate. Indeed, who knew that Mr. Romney could even affect let alone reverse his apparent off-course trajectory in a 90-minute span? Seldom has the course of a major American campaign change in a shorter amount of time. And seldom has a foregone conclusion, Obama winning an electoral landslide, collapsed as suddenly.

Not the Thrilla in Manila, but Certainly Nasty in Nassau

Austin, TEXAS. October 17, 2012. The President Obama of yore (2008, that is) showed up at the debate last night and so was hailed the victor. In fact, the numbers show that it was not that Romney faltered. He did not. Rather it was the President who recovered from his first debate ‘debacle’ (as viewed by his strongest supporters).

The numbers reveal the story. First, keep this number in mind: 7.4. This is the grade level of Obama’s most widely hailed speech, the “Yes, We Can!” Grant Park victory speech. ’Yes, We Can!” is widely perceived as a classic to be enshrined in the American Oratory Hall of Fame along side Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream,” Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,’ and Ronald Reagan’s “City on a Hill” speeches.

In the first Presidential debate, Obama’s grade level came in at 9.2. For a debate, with all its give-and-take, interruptions, pauses and the like, that was a rather high number. A Town Hall meeting is definitely not the place for the grandiloquent turn of phrase, especially when you are trying to woo the undecided citizens of the land with plain speakin’ — no matter how uncomfortable that might be.

We all told in sixth grade that a newspaper should be written at the sixth-grade level, which from the sixth-grade perspective can be quite a challenge. What this really translates to is short sentences, concise paragraphs, fewer polysyllabic words, and all written in active voice.

As an example, Joe Biden spoke at a sixth grade level (6.1) in the vice presidential debate and there were few who claimed the inability to understand Ol’ Joe. (Unfortunately, these tests do not evaluate facial expressions.) In last night’s debate , Obama scored 7.2 in the grade-level score, about 28% lower (and in this case better) than his first debate — and nearly identical to his Grant Park discourse.

Both Romney and Obama cut their used of passive voice nearly in half from 6% to 4% and 3%, respectively. Active voice, where the subject is the doer of the action, is always preferred over passive voice in political discourse since it can be used to avoid responsibility. (‘Taxes were raised’ rather than ‘I raise raised the taxes.)

Finally, Obama’s reading ease score improved over 8% from 63.1 to 70.1; Romney’s remained a bit higher at 71.0.

In champion fights, the unwritten rule is that you never take the current champ’s crown away on — points unless the victory is overwhelming. Last night the President showed up to fight, and thus is awarded the victory on points. So the Presidential Debate series now stands even at 0ne all, with the rubber (and deciding) match to take place next week.

With Obama’s structural lead, debate stakes couldn’t be higher

October 16, Austin, Texas — (Opinion) We have seen this all before in politics, in the board room, on the ball fields, and in life. The person at the top of the pecking order makes a misstep, seemingly minor, and then cascades into something major, and then cascades further still until it become calamitous — unless it can be stopped in time. Time is of the essence here. It must be squelched immediately, or sooner. And hopefully sooner still.

Perhaps it is ironic that one of the best examples was that of Mitt Romney’s Dad, George, in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination back in the late ’60s. George Romney claimed that he had been ‘brainwashed’ by the U.S. military and diplomatic personnel on a visit to Vietnnam. “Romney brainwashed’ screamed the headlines. And that was all it took for his campaign to unravel.

Even a youthful observer could understand that Romney was using what in literature is known as synecdoche, where a part is used to represent something far larger. I have since seen this repeated scores of times in political confrontations of all types most recently in the Arab Spring. Today, we label this kind of support ‘shallow’ where a significant number of supporters are ready to abandon their candidate at the first instance that a viable alternative arises.

Could this explain what we saw in the aftermath of the first debate? It seems unlikely, but nevertheless could explain the remarkable transformation of the presidential contest we are now witnessing. I should note that it also doesn’t mean the the president will lose on November 6th. His lead is structural, both in terms of constituents as well as geography. There are many paths available for Obama to construct a electoral majority. For Romney the options are far fewer. Even if Romney’s momentum continues to build, there is a possibility of Romney eking out a slim victory in the popular vote, while losing by a far larger margin in the Electoral College.

The stakes in Tuesday’s debate could not be higher. For Romney the task is to build upon his momentum, for Obama it is to halt Romney in his tracks before he loses complete control of the race.

Paul JJ Payack, president, Global Language Monitor

A slightly different version of this article appeared on TheHill.com on October 15, 2012.

Malarkey Vs. Adorkable: The Vice Presidential Debate

Two words can be used to distill the essence of Thursday Night’s Vice Presidential Debate: Malarkey Vs. Adorkable.

On the one hand you have Joe Biden in familiar territory talking, interrupting, spinning, smiling feverishly to help the Democrats regain control of the political narrative after the widely perceived misteps of the president in the first Presidential Debate; on the other you have Paul Ryan, the wunder wonk, attempting to demonstrate 1) that he is NOT Sarah Palin, and 2) that he is more than simply a policy wonk and has the attendant seriousness, intelligence and skill set necessary to sit a heartbeat away from the presidency. Both succeeded in their appointed tasks.

Though Biden used the term ‘malarkey’ to describe Ryan’s debate performance, it was Biden who more closely typified the concept of ’malarkey’ (bluster). Ryan did not stray too far from his policy wonk persona, but was fortunate that dorks, nerds and wonks are now in fashion. Hence the term ‘adorkable’ for ‘adorable dork’. In fact, The Global Language Monitor had named ‘adorkable’ as the Top Television Word of the Year just a month or so ago.

In terms of language usage, Biden used about 30% more passive voice than Ryan. Many believe that the passive voice is used to shade the truth, opposed to simple declarative sentences. Ryan and Biden both were relatively easy to understand according to the standardized algorithms coming in at 69.4 and 72.6 on the Reading Ease Scale. As for Grade Level, Ryan came in at 6.6, while Biden scored a 6.1. For comparison, Obama scored a 9.2 and Romney a 6.8 in their first debate.

(As a side note, Biden’s score (6.1) was the lowest ever recorded in a debate, surpassing Ross Perot’s previous low of 6.3).

The Final Narrative of Barack Obama

Austin, Texas. October 9, 2012 — The controversy swirling around Obama’s debate performance completely misses the point. For better or worse, this is it. Stripped of all pretension. Devoid of the catch phrases and the swoons. Minus the Hollywood glam. This is he. Barack Obama. The man, unadorned. No longer do we see Obama through a glass dimly. Now we see him for who he is. This is neither to embellish nor dis-embellish the man. This is to see things for what they are and not what they ought — or ought not — to be.

At the Global Language Monitor we understand that life is not an exit poll; we cannot shape the reality of how we just voted. It is a zero-sum thing, a binary action, a one or a zero, a yes or a no. In the same manner we have tracked the narrative of Barack Obama the preceding five years, stripped of all adornment, searching for the reality that was all too frequently, standing right before us, actually in our midst, if only we had the will to open our eyes to see.

Of course we have unabashedly published our findings along the way but at that time our findings seemed a bit out-of-step, as indeed they were. Out-of-step with the perceived reality, but in step with reality as it was. Unlike most of life, a new president is graced with a honeymoon period, when missteps are overlooked, forgotten, or forgiven. This is not the ‘suspension of disbelief’ that allows us to enjoy a fantastical story in the cinema but rather a ‘suspension of self-interest,’ where we put aside our partisan differences and wait. We wait for the cues and signals, both small and large, that will reveal the intentions, proclivities, and (dare I say it?) the character of the incumbent.

For some presidents this grace period is over nearly before it starts (Gerald Ford and George W. Bush come to mind). For others, it lasts a bit longer (George H.W. Bush), and for others longer still (Ronald Reagan). In the case of Barack Obama, the situation was markedly different. Being a black man, most Americans wanted him to succeed precisely because he was a black man. As a relative outsider, he was a welcome break from the recent past (and impending future) — Bush 41, Clinton 42, Bush 43, Clinton 44?

Being a newcomer, he was the classic tabula rasa, a blank slate upon which we could pour upon all our hopes and dreams. And change? Who on this planet did not want change from the preceding eight years: a divisive and disputed election, global terrorism and 9/11, two wars in the Middle East, a devastating tsunami, the inundation of one of America’s great cities, and to top it off, the global financial meltdown. All this being so, Barack Obama began his presidency with an extraordinarily large reservoir of good will. Let’s call this reservoir the Hope and Change Quotient (HCQ).

During Obama’s first days in office, the nation was engulfed in ’anger and rage’? GLM analyzed the situation back in February 2009 and found that what was being reported as ‘anger’ was actually ‘frustration,’ while what was being reported as ‘rage’ was actually ‘despair’, a sense of foreboding or impending doom. GLM followed this rather odd undercurrent during the earliest, most hopeful, days of the Obama administration. The results were striking, especially, in contrast to the immense outpouring of global goodwill in response to the inauguration of Barack Obama, since the survey included the ten days immediately following Obama’s swearing in. Some of the keywords showing heightened awareness were Abandoned, Despair, Desperation, and Fear — all appearing in the media with double digit increases over the pre-election period. This was perhaps an abberation we thought, but as we moved forward, the pattern continued unabated.

We saw a turning point with the Gulf Oil Spill speech. This was the opportunity to show the world how a US President would properly respond to a major crisis threatening the Gulf Coast, the ecosystem, and the forces of nature and the evil of Man (an arrogant CEO from Central casting, BP, Halliburton, and a 24×7 ‘Spill Cam’ spewing forth colorful filth, worthy of a Dreamworks 3-D treatment. And what did we get? We got what we had been measuring for the preceding two years: Obama 2.0, with an academic-sounding speech detailing a broad plan for an alternative-energy future and few specifics, and little of the hell-and-brimstone his followers had hope for.

By now it was becoming apparent for all to see. This was a changed and changing man, at least how he revealed himself publicly through speech. By time the 2010 Mid-Terms delivered their ‘shellacking’ the transformation was nearly complete. With a few noteworthy exceptions, such as his Tuscon eulogy,which ranked among his best, the President has appeared less-and-less engaged, more-and-more distant.

In July we noted that the top political buzzwords were telling a far different story than either campaign was presenting to the American people. Our analysis found that Bush was clearly assigned responsibility for the so-called Great Recession, while Obama was responsibility for the economy’s current condition, just as concern over Bain Capital and the ‘war against women’ were of less and little concern respectively. In other words, the American people saw the issues as if the virulent political ads of both parties did not exist. In contrast ‘Still believe the American Dream’ was No. 5 and ‘Disappointment in Obama Administration’ was No. 6.

At the same time, the Hope and Change Quotient has nearly been depleted, this being the normal course near the end of every president’s first term in recent memory. The President has finally been vetted. We now know the man, his strengths, weaknesses, and his proclivities. This is not to say that he will not win in his bid for re-election. But this is to say, that for better or worse, this is it.

This is the final narrative of Barack Obama.

***

GLM used NarrativeTracker Technology in this study. NarrativeTracker is based on the global discourse, providing a real-time, accurate picture of what any audience is saying about any topic, at any point in time. NarrativeTracker analyzes the Internet, the top global print and electronic media, as well as new media sources as they emerge.

Paul JJ Payack is the president and Chief Word Analysts of Austin-based Global Language Monitor.

First Debate: For Obama It’s the 2010 Mid-terms All Over Again

Austin Texas — October 4, 2012. In the first debate of the quadrennial Presidential Debate Season, it was like the 2010 Mid-terms all over again. Not that there were presidential debates in 2010. It’s just that President Obama seemed to revert to his ‘pre-shellacking’ public speaking form: a bit disengaged, a tad too dismissive and, dare we say it ‘professorial’?

Indeed, what seemed to surprise if not shock the 40,000,000 or so in last night’s viewing audience, was not the effective performance of Mitt Romney but rather the lackluster performance of the incumbent president. Many pundits had predicted the president would trounce his opponent in the debate, possibly creating an insurmountable gulf between them with some 30 days remaining before the election.

In mid-summer we published our Top Political Buzzwords of the Presidential Campaign and found profound differences between the actual concerns of the public and the political narratives of both parties. Last night’s debate was consistent with our findings; there was no talk of the politics of fear the ‘war against women’ of even mention of ‘the 47%’. However, the debate did point to profound difference in the belief systems of both parties, yet found enough common ground to produce distinct yet constructive and viable alternatives from which to choose.

One of the benefits of analyzing presidential debates, speeches and inaugural addresses for more than a decade, is the ability to make data-driven historical comparisons. These are especially effective when spotting trends and changes in direction. In 2007, spotted a man with a a truly captivating facility to turn an eloquent phrase. This man warranted comparisons with Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream’ and Reagan’s ‘Tear Down This Wall’ speeches with his own ‘Yes, We Can!’ victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park.

However, it also tracked Obama’s sojourn to a more ‘inaccessible,’ sometimes even pedestrian speaking style. There were a number of turning points, a number of these occurring in 2010.

The numbers from last might’s debate bear this changing dynamic this out. For the President, the numbers tracked with his BP Gulf Oil Speech: long sentences, more passive voice, and a ninth-grade reading level (all of which can be signatures of considerable erudition). However, the numbers can also signify a less direct, less immediate communications style that differs considerably from the Obama to whom we were first introduced.

For Romney, his numbers were the reverse of the President (at least for the night): shorter sentences, easier to understand, his seventh-grade reading level closer to the of Obama of Grant Park.

Olympic Lingo: Obscure Words Related to the London 2012 Summer Games

Austin, Texas. July 30, 2012 . In the spirit of public service, the editors of the Global Language Monitor, have selected a number of the more obscure words and phrases related to the London 2012 Summer Olympics and presented below with definitions and/or related factoids. “The history of the Olympic Games spans over 2800 years, with the Games themselves persisting for over 1,000 years in the Ancient World,” said Paul JJ Payack, president of GLM. “The Games have garnered a rich tapestry of linguistic innovation concerning the nature of the Games, the individual sports, and the rituals surrounding the quadrennial festival.” Below are some of the more obscure words and phrases with definitions and/or related factoids.

Citius, Altius, Fortius (Olympic History) — The Olympic Motto is actually Latin (and not Greek) for Faster, Higher, Stronger)
Dead Rubber (Tennis) — A match in a series where the outcome has already been decided by previous matches
Eggbeater (Water Polo) — Kicking one’s feet quickly in a back-and-forth motion keep the body above water
Fletching (Archery) — Traditionally, feathers from the left wing of a turkey, goose, or raptor used to stabilize an arrow; now replaced with synthetics
Flu-Flu Arrow (Archery) — An arrow with extra ‘fletching’ to slow its flight
High Drag Projectile (Badminton) — The birdie or shuttlecock
Impulsion (Equestrian) — The thrust, impelling, or pushing power of a horse
Kotinos (Olympic History) — Olive branches fixed in crowns of victory in the classical Greek Olympics
Marathon (Olympic History — The word Marathon is derived from the Greek for fennel, the spice which apparently grew in abundance on the plains
Nutmeg or Nuttie (Football) — Kicking the football between the legs of an opponent
Pankration — A sport contested beginning in the 7th century BCE, that combined wrestling and boxing (similar to today’s Mixed Martial Arts)
Pheidippidean Pheat (Olympic History) — Forget the Phelpsian Pheat of the Beijing Games, according to legend Pheidippides ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens pronounced, Victory! and then promptly died. (The actual distance was about 24 miles or 38.6 km.
Repechage — First round losers are provided another opportunity to advance in a competition
The Snatch Deadlift (Weightlifting)– Lifting the barbell in a single movement, as opposed to the Clean and Jerk
Victor Ludorum (Olympic History) — The Champion of the Games, in Latin of course.

GLM has been tracking language at the Olympics since the Athens Games in 2004.

Adorkable Top Television Word of the Year (Teleword)

… from New Girl, Big Bang & Modern Family

followed by Shell Shock, Bi-Polar, Dothraki and La Toti

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Ninth Annual Analysis by the Global Language Monitor

Austin, Texas, USA. September 25-26, 2012. The Global Language Monitor (GLM) today announced that ‘adorkable’ from New Girl and Big Bang, and Modern Family the Top Teleword of the Year followed by ‘Bi-polar,’ ‘Dothraki’, and ‘La Toti’. Rounding out the top ten were ‘scripted,’ ‘Kate,’ ‘fourth screen,’ ‘nerdy,’ and ‘Jubilee’. The awards are announced in conjunction with the Primetime Emmy awards at the beginning of the Fall television season in the US. This is the ninth annual analysis by Austin-based GLM.

“This is the first time a single phrase from three outstanding comedies shared the top spot,” said Paul JJ Payack, President and Chief Word Analyst of GLM. “This year’s list also reflects a world trying to find a new equilibrium for itself from lessons culled from its past, its present, with a touch of fantasy as it moves into the future.”

Read it now in TIME!

The Top Telewords of the 2011-2012 season with commentary follow:

1. Adorkable (Big Bang Theory, New Girl and Modern Family) – The word has been around for nearly ten years now and has applied mostly to men (as in Jim Parsons), but somehow Zooey Deschanel, and Modern Family’s Rico Rodriguez II (Manny) and Ariel Winter (Alex) have all added a vibrant dimension to the term. [A portmanteau word from dork and adorable.]

2. Shell Shock (Downton Abbey) – The trauma of shell shock both in the trenches of World War 1 and the vanishing way of life of the English Upper Class lies at the center of this early 20^th c. drama. Societies, too, can experience shell shock. [Also called battle fatigue, now known as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)].

3. Bi-polar (Homeland) – Looking at an insane world through bi-polar eyes, Claire Danes presents an intense, intriguing portrayal of the post-Modern battlefield found in Homeland, where the enemies are neither obvious nor detectable on both side of the battle. [Historically known as manic-depressive disorder, where people experience disruptive mood swings.

4. Dothraki (Game of Thrones) – The twenty-three consonants and four vowels of the Dothraki language are not much easier to understand that the series multiple plotlines. [Dothraki is a made-up or 'constructed' language. There are hundreds of these 'constructed' languages from 'Vulcan' to J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Elvish' to the 120-words of 'Toki Pona'.

5. La Toti (Modern Family) – Family nickname of Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara, the highest earning actress in American television for the past year ($19.1 million). ['La Toti' loosely translated as 'the be all and end all'.]

6. Scripted – Scripted shows now mean ‘not reality’. Like the term guitar now needs the retronym ‘acoustic guitar’ to differentiate itself from its electronic brethren, reality TV has now become the dominate genre.

7. Kate – Who are the 100,000 people surrounding the Duchess of Cambridge? Those would be the Olympians and fans of the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Oh.

8. Fourth Screen – Whatever happen to the three-screen world of tomorrow. That would be yesterday. Past prognosticators evidently forgot to consult Steve Jobs about the ‘tablets’ in their future. [The three screens were those of the television, computer and smart phone. Apple's iPad proved to be a game-changer introducing a new class of devices called 'tablets'.

9. Jubilee – From Queen Elizabeth II’s 60^th anniversary on the throne of England. The traditional Jubilee period is fifty years, but no matter ….

10. Dramedy (Louie) -- Is it comedy? Is it drama? Dunno, but it’s definitely C.K. [Shorthand for his Hungarian surname -- Székely.] .

This exclusive ranking is based upon GLM’s Narrative Tracking technology. NarrativeTracker analyzes the Internet, blogosphere, the top 250,000 print and electronic news media, as well as new social media sources (such as Twitter) as they emerge.

The words, phrases and concepts are tracked in relation to their frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets.

The Top Telewords of previous years:

2011 – SpillCam from the Gulf Oil Spill, followed by Guido (Jersey Shore) and Reality (TV)

2010 – ‘Royal Wedding’ of Kate Middleton and Prince William, followed by Charlie Sheen’s ‘winner,’ and Arab Spring.

2009 – ObamaVision — All Obama, all the time, everywhere, followed by Financial Meltdown and the death of Michael Jackson.

2008 – Beijing (from the Olympics), ObamaSpeak, followed by ‘facts are stubborn things’, ‘it is what it is,’ and Phelpsian.

2007 – “Surge” from the Iraq War political and military strategy, “That’s Hot®” Paris Hilton’s popular expression that is now a registered trademark, and “D’oh!” from The Simpsons and The Simpsons Movie.

2006 – ‘Truthiness’ and ‘Wikiality’ from the Colbert Show followed by ‘Katrina’, ‘Katie,’ and ‘Dr. McDreamy’.

2005 – ‘Refugee’ from the coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, followed by ‘Desperation’ from Desperate Housewives and ‘Camp Cupcake’ from the on-going Martha Stewart follies.

2004 – “You’re Fired!” edged “Mess O’ Potamia” followed by “Girlie Men,” “God,” and “Wardrobe Malfunction”.

London Edges New York for Top 2012 Global Fashion Capital

No. 11
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No. 52
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No. 47
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No. 11
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Ninth Annual Ranking Now Includes Fifty-five Cities

September 6, 2012, New York and Austin, Texas. London has been crowned the Top Global Fashion Capital, edging out New York for the second year in a row, according to the Global Language Monitor’s annual ranking of the Top Fifty Fashion Capitals. London and New York were followed by Barcelona, Paris and Madrid. Rounding out the Top Ten were Rome, Sao Paulo, Milano, Los Angeles, and Berlin.

“London’s two-year run has been has been propelled by two rather extraordinary circumstances: the emergence of the former Kate Middleton as a top fashion icon and the recent completion of what have been hailed as an extremely successful Summer Olympics,” said Bekka Payack, Manhattan-based Fashion Director of GLM. ”In recognition of the significance and growth of regional capitals with their distinctive styles and contributions to the fashion industry, GLM expanded the list to some fifty-five cities on five continents.”

Top movers on the plus side included Antwerp (+33), Caracas (+27), Johannesburg (+23), and Sao Paulo (+18). Top movers on the down side include Mexico City (-25), Toronto (-19), Moscow (-17), Chicago (-14), and Mumbai (-14), attesting to the heightened global competition. Newcomers to this year’s analysis were Vancouver (31), Seoul (34), Boston (44), Houston (49), and St Petersburg, Russia (51).

Prior to London’s two year reign, New York had reclaimed the crown from Milan. Previous to this, New York had been the top fashion capital for five years running, taking the crown from Paris.

The 2012 Top Global Fashion Capitals, with Rank, Previous Year’s Rank, and commentary:

1. London (1) – Competitors stymied by Kate Middleton and now the hugely successful Summer Olympics.
2. New York (2)– That toddling town is waiting in the wings for London to stumble.
3. Barcelona (7) — Iberia rules with two fashion capitals in the Top Five.
4. Paris (3)– Topped ‘haute couture’ category, of course.
5. Madrid (12)– Making a strong move toward the top.
6. Rome (13)– Edging Milano this time out.
7. Sao Paulo (25) — The Queen of Latin America, again.
8. Milano (4) — Slipping a few spots, but never for long.
9. Los Angeles (5) — The City of Angels strengthening its hold as a true fashion capital.
10. Berlin (10) — Remains among the elite — and deservedly so.

Read About the Top US Fashion Economic Powerhouses in AtlanticCities

11. Antwerp (44) — A surprising large climb in a very short time (up 33 spots).
12. Hong Kong (6) — Tops in Asia, though down six year over year.
13. Buenos Aires (20) — Moving steadily upward.

14. Bali (21) — Steady climb attests to it being more than just swimwear.
15. Sydney (11) — Remains near the top, a few steps ahead of Melbourne, as is its wont.
16. Florence (31) — A big move for Firenza (up 15).
17. Rio de Janeiro (23) — Building toward the 2016 Summer Games.
18. Johannesburg (41) — Jo-burg breaks into the Top Twenty.
19. Singapore (8) — Trailing Hong Kong but leading Tokyo and Shanghai.
20. Tokyo (9) — No longer the No, 5 to the Top Four, competition is aglow in Asia.
21. Melbourne (17) — Still strong, still a few steps behind Sydney.
22. Shanghai (14) — A thriving fashion center in a tough competitive arena.
23. Caracas (50) — Tremendous upward movement for a seminal fashion center.
24. Las Vegas (16) — Follow the money, and the money and the stars flow to Vegas.
25. Monaco (15) — The principality is firmly ensconced in the European fashion firmament.
26. Santiago (30) — A solid No. 5 in Latin America.
27. Amsterdam (19) — Creative, original and a bit outre.
28. Dubai (27) — A steady force in the mid-East ready to bloom further.
29. Bangkok (32) — Struggling to gain ground in the region.
30. Copenhagen (29) — Keeping pace with (and a bit ahead of) Stockholm.
31. Vancouver (Debut) — Solid debut from this newcomer from the Pacific Northwest.
32. Stockholm (28) — The Capital of Scandinavia’s influence is beginning to transcend its regional roots.
33. Krakow (47) — A scrappy player wielding a surprising amount of influence.
34. Seoul (Debut) — Korean fashion has now gained a foothold on the world scene.
35. Moscow (18) — A bold and growing presence despite a stumble in the current analysis.
36. Frankfurt (43) — Carving out its own space in Berlin’s towering shadow.
37. Vienna (35) — Insight into 21st c. fashion emerging from ancient imperial venues.
38. Mumbai (24) — Still leading New Delhi (now by 10 spots) to dominate the Subcontinent.
39. Miami (26) — The fashion world beginning to understand Miami is more than swimwear.
40. Abu Dhabi (42) — A steady climb backed by deep pockets.
41. San Francisco (38) — A rising yet iconoclastic star.
42. Austin (40) — Famous for its ‘Mash Up’ teams, the city propels its unique style forward.
43. Warsaw (33) — Particularly influential in Central Europe.
44. Boston (Debut) — Can New England deliver fashion to the world? Apparently so.
45. Prague (48) — A firm foundation in interpreting the traditional and the classic.
46. Dallas (37) — Outdistances Houston to settle the local score.
47. Mexico City (22) — Slips some twenty-five spots since the last report.
48. New Delhi (39) — Striving for relevance on the global stage.
49. Houston (Debut) — Big, bold and a city to watch.
50. Chicago (36) – City of the Big Shoulders stretching out toward word-class fashion.
51. St. Petersburg (Debut) — The former imperial capital making strides on the global fashion scene.
52. Montreal (49) — Eclipsed by the debut of Vancouver but still a formidable force.
53. Toronto (34) — Nipped by its francophone neighbor to the North.
54. Cape Town (46) — Though Jo-burg won the latest duel, Cape Town surely has plans.
55. Atlanta (45) — Gaining an international reputation for its bold accents.

The words, phrases and concepts are tracked in relation to their frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets.

Top Fashion Capitals by Region:

Europe (14): London, Barcelona, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Milano, Berlin, Antwerp, Florence, Monaco, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Frankfurt.

Middle and Eastern Europe (6): Krakow, Moscow, Vienna, Warsaw, Prague, and St Petersburg.

North America (13): New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Vancouver, San Francisco, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, and Atlanta.

Asia (6): Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Seoul.

Subcontinent (2): Mumbai, New Delhi,

Oceania (3): Bali, Sydney, and Melbourne.

Latin America (6): Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Caracas, Santiago, and Mexico City.

Middle East and Africa (4): Dubai, Johannesburg, Abu Dhabi, and Cape Town.

The world fashion trade is estimated to be over three trillion USD.

Protected: Final Olympic Brand Affiliation Rankings of the London Games Announced

Protected: How the OOP and OOS Sponsors Fared for the Full Olympic Year.

Protected: How London 2012′s TOP Sponsors Fared for the Full Olympic Year

Protected: Overall Olympic Brand Affiliation Rankings for London 2012

Top Global Fashion Capitals Announced Tuesday Sept. 4th

GLM’s Exclusive TrendTopper MediaBuzz Rankings

Will London Repeat as the 2012 Top Global Fashion Capital?

See how all the Top 50 Fashion Capitals Rank in this year’s exclusive ranking.

Nominees on the watch list include, St Petersburg, Seoul, and Houston.

Previous Results include:

Graphic Courtesy of Wikipedia

Olympic (Ambush) Competition Officially Under Way

Ambushers Leading Sponsors 33-17

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Billions of Dollars in Brand Equity at Stake

AUSTIN, Texas. July 18, 2012 — Of the Top Fifty Brands affiliated with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games only seventeen are official sponsors. This according to the latest Brand Affiliation Index (BAI) analysis by the Global Language Monitor, the Internet media trend tracking company. The longitudinal study began in July 2011 and tracks the top three tiers of official Olympic sponsorship, as designated by the LOGOC and the IOC.

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“Fortunately in the Olympics there is no ‘mercy rule,’ where a winner is declared in a contest to reach twenty-one, when one side scores the first 11 points,” said Paul JJ Payack, President and Chief Word Analyst of GLM. Of the top official and ‘non-affiliated marketers’ in the current study, the first twelve fall into the non-affiliated category.”

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Some seventy-five brands are studied including the twenty-five premier official sponsors divided into three tiers: The TOP partners, which pay approximately one hundred million pounds for the privilege, the Official Olympic Partners, and the Official Olympic Sponsors. Together these sponsors pay an estimated 30% of the cost of staging the games.

There are a number of other levels and forms of sponsorship including national sponsorships such as the USOC. The real cost of being a TOP partner ranges from a $500 billion to over a trillion dollar investment to companies that sign on for sponsorships spanning several Olympiads.

For these rankings GLM measured the strength of the brand affiliation for each official Olympic sponsor against those of their primary non-affiliated competitors. Though ‘ambush marketing’ is well understood to mean an organization knowingly exploiting a brand affiliation with the Games without the benefit of official sponsorship, all perceived Olympic affiliations according to their presence in the global media, and statistically linked to the London Games, qualify for GLM’s Ambush Marketing rankings.

Ambushing by ‘Non-affiliated Marketers’ is more than Michael Phelps pitching sandwiches; it is a years-long effort to create a pseudo-sponsorship to leverage the good-well generated by having the Olympics with one’s brand.

The GLM Brand Affiliation Index for this analysis,ranged from a high of 797.90 (Royal Philips} to a low of 1.50 for VisaCard. The higher the score, the closer the brand affiliation with the event.

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The Top Twelve (all Ambushers), along with their tiers, are Listed below:

1	Royal Philips	TOP-A
2	CVC Capital	OOP-A
3	ExxonMobil	OOP-A
4	Manpower	OOS-A
5	Schroders	OOP-A
6	IBM Global	TOP-A
7	E ON Energy	OOP-A
8	KPMG	OOS-A
9	Deutsche Telekom	OOP-A
10	BASF	TOP-A
11	EI DuPont	TOP-A
12	Cable & Wireless	OOP-A

As you can see for the above rankings, Business-to-Business brands are being subjected to the sames ambush marketing forces as B2C marketers. ’

Royal Philips is crushing GE by over 20:1 margin; ExxonMobil bests BP by a similar margin; and BASF and DuPont are both striding past Dow.

The Top Ten Official Sponsors ranked from No. 13 to No. 39 overall. They are listed below, along with their tiers.

1	BT Group	OOP
2	Cadbury	OOS
3	BMW	OOP
4	Adidas	OOP
5	Panasonic	TOP
6	McDonald;s	TOP
7	Coca-Cola	TOP
8	UPS	OOS
9	P&G	TOP
10	EDF energy	OOP
11	Arcelor Mittal	OOS
12	Samsung	TOP

Though listed at the top official sponsor, the BT group actually ranks behind both Deutsche Telekom and Cable&Wireless.

Cadbury, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are doing quite well for their investments in spite of the efforts to derail their sponsorships on the grounds of their contributing to a so-called ‘obesogenic’ environment. Adidas is currently doubling Nike’s number. P&G continues to excel with their ‘Moms’ campaign. Arcelor Mittal is a surprise standout for a company previously little known to the public.

GLM has been measuring the effects of Ambush marketing on the Olympic Movement for the last three Olympiads, in the process accumulating perhaps the most extensive database of its kind. For London 2012, GLM began tracking the three tiers of official sponsors since the third quarter of 2011. GLM also tracks the brand equity of the athletes before and during the Games. For more information, call +1.512.815.8836, email info@LanguageMonitor.com, or click on www.LanguageMonitor.com

Ambush Marketers Continue to Dominate

Olympic Ambush Marketers Continue to Dominate London 2012

Nike over Adidas; BA Trails Three Competitors; Subway and Pizza Hut Top McDonald’s

Kate Middleton ‘Brand’ Tops Coke, Adidas, and BA

Austin, Texas. Weekend May 4-6, 2012. Ambush Marketers continue to dominate the run-up to the London Summer Games. In fact ‘non-affiliated marketers’ took 27 of the top 50 spots measuring effective brand activation by the Global Language Monitor’s Brand Affiliation Index (BAI).

This despite the recent tightening of the rules by the IOC, The GLM BAI rankings are not simply a matter of pride or bragging rights but rather a battle for brand equity and the consumer’s mind and the billions of dollars committed to the IOC, which are primarily used to fund the Games.

“The Olympic movement it is not immune to the historic shifts in communications affecting all institutions worldwide,” said Paul JJ Payack, founding president of the Global Language Monitor. “The seemingly all-pervasive media ensure that the flow of information can be stopped neither by national boundaries nor institutional gatekeepers. There is no reason to think that marketing activities are immune from such forces. In fact, marketing has been one of the foremost purveyors of new media technology.”

All perceived Olympic affiliations according to their presence in the global media, and statistically linked to the London Games, qualify for GLM’s Ambush Marketing rankings.

The GLM Brand Affiliation Index for this analysis, ranged from a high of 524.45 to a low of 1.49. The higher the score, the closer the brand affiliation with an event.

GLM has been tracking ambush marketing at the Olympics since the Beijing Games in 2008. For London 2012, GLM began the three tiers of official sponsors since the third quarter of 2011. These results are based on a study concluded on May 1, 2012.

With its Branded Individual Index (BII) GLM also tracks the brand equity of the athletes before and during the Games.

The official Olympic sponsors are divided into three tiers: Worldwide Partners, Official Partners, and Official Supporters. GLM tracks over fifty non-affiliated companies that are direct competitors with the Official Olympic sponsors.

To schedule a confidential consultation, call +1.512.815.8836.

For these rankings, encompassing the first quarter of 2012, GLM measured the strength of the brand affiliation for each official Olympic sponsor against those of their primary non-affiliated competitors. Though ‘ambush marketing’ is well understood to mean an organization knowingly exploiting a brand affiliation with the Games without the benefit of official sponsorship.

All perceived Olympic affiliations according to their presence in the global media, and statistically linked to the London Games, qualify for GLM’s Ambush Marketing rankings.

The top findings include:

McDonald’s is in a tough fight, ranking behind Subway and Pizza Hut, but beating KFC.
Ambusher Nike leads Partner Adidas by a wide margin.
British Airways trails ambushers Lufthansa, United and Air France in the rankings.
Royal Philip outpaced ever-strong GE.
P&G continues to crush ambush competitors as it did in Vancouver.
Ambusher Ericsson Over Supporter Cisco by a 3:1 margin.

The Duchess Effect Meets the Summer Games

One interesting side note is that even the Summer Games are encountering the Duchess Effect. The GLM BAI analysis showed that when linked with London 2012, Kate Middleton had a closer brand affiliation than a number of top sponsors including Coke, Adidas, BA and Panasonic, among others.

This again demonstrates the power of the ‘Kate Middleton Brand’. A Tier 1 Olympic sponsor pays about $160 million for the privilege, plus the attendant advertising fees promoting the relationship that can cost upwards of $500 million over the four-year arrangement. This would suggest that the Kate Middleton Brand could be valued at nearly a billion dollars or more, just in relationship to Summer Games.
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The Top Ten Official Olympic Sponsors by BAI are listed below.

1	Arcelor Mittal	Supporter
2	EDF energy	Partner
3	BT Group	Partner
4	Thomas Cook	Supporter
5	UPS	Supporter
6	Lloyds TSB	Partner
7	Cadbury	Supporter
8	BP	Partner
9	P&G	IOC
10	ATOS	IOC

The Top Ten non-Olympic Affiliated Marketers by BAI are listed below.

1	Centrica	AMB OP
2	Eon Energy UK	AMB OP
3	Barclaycard	AMB IOC
4	Schroders	AMB OP
5	Royal Philips	AMB IOC
6	EI DuPont	AMB IOC
7	Kraft	AMB SUP
8	Ericsson Comm	AMB SUP
9	Subway	AMB IOC
10	Lufthansa	AMB OP

The Top Twenty Combined Olympic Sponsors and Non-Affiliated Marketers Ranked by BAI.

1	Arcelor Mittal	Supporter
2	EDF energy	Partner
3	BT Group	Partner
4	Centrica	AMB OP
5	Eon Energy UK	AMB OP
6	Thomas Cook	Supporter
7	Barclaycard	AMB IOC
8	UPS	Supporter
9	Schroders	AMB OP
10	Lloyds TSB	Partner
11	Cadbury	Supporter
12	BP	Partner
13	Royal Philips	AMB IOC
14	P&G	IOC
15	ATOS	IOC
16	EI DuPont	AMB IOC
17	Kraft	AMB SUP
18	Ericsson Comm	AMB SUP
19	Subway	AMB IOC
20	Lufthansa	AMB OP

The GLM Brand Affiliation Index for this analysis, ranged from a high of 524.45 to a low of 1.49. The higher the score, the closer the brand affiliation with an event.

With its Branded Individual Index (BII) GLM also tracks the brand equity of the athletes before and during the Games.

Customized GLM Ambush Marketing Rankings are released monthly up to and following London 2012. The Ambush Marketing London 2012 report features dozens of charts representing the interrelationship of each company to the Olympic Brand, their competitors and their partners. In addition, the reports contain exclusive and individualized Narrative Tracker analyses, the most advanced trend tracking analytics available. For more information, individualized reports, or a monthly subscription, call +1.512.815.8836 or email info@LanguageMonitor.com

About Global Language Monitor: ”We Tell You What the Web is Thinking”
Founded in Silicon Valley, Austin, Texas-based GLM collectively documents, analyzes and tracks trends worldwide, with a particular emphasis upon the English language.

GLM employs proprietary ‘algorithmic methodologies’ such as the NarrativeTracker for global Internet and social media analysis. NarrativeTracker is based on global discourse, providing a real-time, accurate picture of what the public is saying about any topic, at any point in time.

NarrativeTracker analyzes the Internet, blogosphere, the top 175,000 print and electronic global media, as well as new media sources, as they emerge. For more information, individualized reports, or a monthly subscription, call +1.512.815.8836 or email info@LanguageMonitor.com

Top Political Buzzwords Paint a Different Picture than the Campaigns

AUSTIN, Texas, July 12, 2012 — The Top Political Buzzwords are telling a far different story than either campaign is presenting to the American people, One hundred and twenty-days before the presidential election, the Global Language Monitor has found profound differences between the actual concerns of the public and the political narratives of both parties. The Top Political Buzzwords 120 Days Before the Vote, was released earlier today. GLM has tracked political buzzwords associated with the national political scene since 2003 in the process compiling perhaps the largest statistical database of the kind.

The “War Against Women” is next to last at No. 52 even though it figures quite heavily in the Democratic narrative. It ranks just below No. 51 Outsourcing, which is key to the narratives of both parties. Other political buzzwords on the top of mind in the campaigns but in the bottom ten in the survey include: the Bush Tax Cuts, Progressive Politics, the Decline in US Manufacturing, Political Stalemate (in Congress), Angry White Males, and the Obstructionist Congress.

The electorate definitely has a sense that the American Dream Still Alive (No.5.) though it is clearly Disappointed in the Obama Administration (No. 6).

The public is quite mindful of the negative tenor of the debate, reflected in the rankings of Toxic Politics (No.2), Haters and those who label their opponents as -phobic (such as Christophobic), (No. 15), and the Politics of Fear (No. 23). Perhaps this helps account for the fact that enthusiasm for the campaign is tempered by non-enthusiasm (Nos. 17 and 18).

The Top Social Issue in the survey was Pregnancy Reduction and Sex-selective Abortion at No. 25, the debate on which crosses the Progressive/Conservative chasm, though neither seems much discussed on the campaign trail.

Both parties would do well to note that Romney’s Wealth is dead last; the electorate no-doubt inured to the fact that US presidential candidates are frequently wealthy (for example, the Bushes and John Kerry each had fortunes equal to or larger than that of Mitt Romney). Though Mr. Romney should note that Mormonism in Politics is No. 11.

“The narratives of both political parties are becoming further and further removed from the actual concerns of the American voters,” said Paul JJ Payack, President and Chief Word Analyst of GLM, “This is happening because they focus on smaller and smaller segments of voting population, writing off states, demographic segments, and entire geographic regions in the process.”

Highlights from the analysis include:

The top priority is the Current US Economy (1)
Responsibility for the Current US Economy is assigned to Obama (1)
Responsibility for Great Recession is assigned to Bush (7)
The name Obamacare is favored over the Affordable Healthcare Act by a 25:1 margin (3, 42)
The hot button top Illegal Aliens is relegated to the No. 21 position
The Affordable Healthcare Act [is recognized] as a Middle-class tax (25)
Bain Capital is pushed into the background at No. 27
The recent Supreme Court Affordable Healthcare Act ruling and Chief Justice John Roberts appears at a modest No. 32 just below Hydraulic Fracturing (31).
The issues of the The 1% registers at No. 36, Super Pacs at No.37, and Teachers Unions at No.38.

The Top Political Buzzwords follow:

Current US Economy (with Obama Ownership)
Toxic Politics
ObamaCare
Out-of-control Spending
The American Dream Still alive
Disappointment in Obama Administration
Bush Responsible for Great Recession
The Iraq War
Stimulus Package
Wall Street Bailout
Mormonism in Politics
Rise of China
US Debt Crisis
Middle Class Whites
Identifying opponents as Haters (or -phobic)
Transparency in Government
Excited about Presidential Election
Not Excited about Presidential Election
The Euro Crisis affecting US
Hilary Clinton
Illegal Aliens
Climate Change
Politics of Fear
Afghanistan War
Middle-class tax (Affordable Care Act)
Wall Street Occupy Movement
Bain Capital
Pregnancy Reduction and sex selective abortion
Drone Strikes
Birther
Hydraulic Fracturing
John Roberts Healthcare
George Bush Responsible for US Economy
Keystone Pipeline
Obama responsible for Great Recession
Deficit Spending
The 1%
Super Pacs
Teachers Unions
Global Terrorism
Nuclear Iran
Affordabe Healthcare Act
Long-term Unemployment
Bush Tax Cuts Affecting Middle Class
Progressive politics
Decline US Manufacturing
Political Stalement
Angry White Males
Obstructionist Congress
Obamamania
Outsourcing
War Against Women
Romney Wealth

Political buzzwords are terms or phrases that become loaded with emotional freight beyond the normal meaning of the word. For example, the word surge has been in the English-language vocabulary since time immemorial. However, in its context as an Iraq War strategy, it inspired a set of emotions in many people far beyond the norm.

The PQI tracks the frequency of words and phrases in global print and electronic media on the Internet, throughout the Blogosphere, Twitter and other social media outlets, as well as accessing proprietary databases. The PQI is a weighted index that factors in long-term trends, short-term changes, momentum, and velocity. Because PQI is based on the national discourse, it provides a real-time, accurate picture of what the public is saying about any topic, at any point in time.

Top Trending Words of 2012 Mid-year Update

Obesogenic, Derecho (and gender-neutral ‘hen’) take on Apocalypse, Kate and Debt

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Number of Words in the English Language: 1,016,672 (July 6 estimate)

AUSTIN, Texas July 10 – Trending 2012 Update: Obesogenic, Derecho (and the gender neutral ‘hen’) are taking on the Mayan Apocalypse, Kate, and Debt as candidates for the Top Word of the Year according to a mid-year update by the Global Language Monitor. Each year, GLM produces the top trending words for the following year just before the new year begins. In 2011, it announced 12 possible candidates; mid-way through the year the three new terms have been added to the list.

Obesogenic — An environment that tends to encourage obesity. Lately it has been used to describe television advertisement that promote sugary and high-calorie snacks to kids.
Derecho — A ‘land hurricane,’ a sudden storm with extremely strong one-directional winds, such as occurred in the Eastern states earlier this month.
Hen — The Swedish attempt to create a gender-neutral pronoun to replace him or her or combinations therefore: hen.

“The new words are taken from an intensifying debate on obesity as a major societal health crisis, a ‘land Hurricane’ that some link to global warming. and a move sometimes viewed as political correctness to end gender distinction among pronouns,” said Paul JJ Payack, the president and chief word analyst of the Global Language Monitor. ”At 2012′s mid-point, there has been considerable movement among the top trending words, and that trend will no doubt continue as it has during the entire life of our 1400-year old language.”

To see the Top Words of 2012, go here.

The words are culled from throughout the English-speaking world, which now numbers more than 1.83 billion speakers (January 2012 estimate).

The Trending Top Words of 2012 in revised order:

Rank/ Previous Rank/ Word / Comments

1. China (3) — Middle Kingdom – There is little indication that China’s continuing economic surge will fade from the global media spotlight –or abate.

2. Europe (12) — United, breaking apart, saving the Euro, abandoning the Euro, with the UK again as an ‘interested onlooker’. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

3. The Election (6) — No Obama-mania this time around, more of an Obama-ennui for the November 6 elections.

4. Kate (2) — There are seven billion humans on the planet but sometimes it seems that it’s all about Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton in terms of fashion, celebrity, and the royal line. (And most definitely not Katie, the future ex-Mrs. Tom Cruise.)

5. Deficit (7) — Looks like deficit-spending will plague Western democracies for at least the next decade.

6. Global Warming (10)— The earth has been warming since New York was covered under a mountain of ice; what makes 2012 any different?

7. Derecho (New) — A ‘land hurricane,’ a sudden storm with extremely strong one-directional winds, such as occurred in the Eastern states earlier this month.

8. Olympiad (2) — The Greeks measured time by the four-year interval between the Games. Moderns measure it by medal counts, rights fees and billions of eyeballs.

9. CERN (9) — Neutrons traveling faster than light? The ‘God Particle’? The world ending in a mini-black hole? All these somehow revolve around CERN (The European Center for Nuclear Research). One CERN scientist calculated that the chance of a mini-Black Hole swallowing the Earth is less than 1 in 50,000,000. Somewhat comforting until you realize this is about ten times more likely than winning a national lottery.)

10. Rogue nukes (8)— Iran and North Korea will be the focus of attention here.

11. Near-Earth Asteroid (11) — Yet another year, another asteroid, another near-miss. (However, one does strike the Earth every one hundred million years or so.)

12. Arab Spring (13) — the successor term for ‘Arab Spring’, whatever that might be.

13. Bak’tun (4) — A cycle of 144,000 days in the Maya ‘Long Count’ Calendar. This bak’tun ends on December 21, 2012, also being called the Mayan Apocalypse. (Actually Maya ‘long-count’ calendars stretch hundreds of millions of years into the future, December 21st merely marks the beginning of a new cycle.)

14. Solar max (5)— The peak of the 11-year sunspot cycle; in 1854 solar storms melted telegraph wires; what’s in store for our all-pervasive electronic infrastructure?

15. Hen (New) — The Swedish attempt to create a gender-neutral pronoun to replace him or her or combinations thereof: hen.

16. Obesogenic (New) — An environment that tends to encourage obesity. Lately it has been used to describe television advertisement that promote sugary and high-calorie snacks to kids.

The Top Words for 2011: ‘Occupy’ was the Top Word, ‘Arab Spring’ the Top Phrase and ‘Steve Jobs’ the Top Name of 2011 in its twelfth annual global survey of the English language.

GLM employs its NarrativeTracker technologies for global Internet and social media analysis. NarrativeTracker is based on global discourse, providing a real-time, accurate picture about any topic, at any point in time.

NarrativeTracker analyzes the Internet, blogosphere, the top 250,000 print and electronic global media, as well as new social media sources as they emerge.

We Tell the World What the Web is Thinking …

See how GLM Brand Affiliation Services can help your organization; call 1.512.815.8836 or email info@LanguageMonitor.com

Obama’s “Doing Just Fine” Internet Meme Surpasses ‘Mission Accomplished’

Obama’s ”Private Sector doing just fine” now an Internet Meme

Comparisons to Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” Proliferate

Measures Level II the five level-Internet-Meme Intensity Index (IMII)

Austin, Texas, June 9-11, 2012. The Internet Meme that ignited when President Obama pronounced ”The private sector is doing just fine,” at his Friday news conference is now at Level II on the Global Language Monitor’s five-level InternetMeme Intensity Index (IMII). One proliferating image conflates George W. Bush’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ photo with Obama’s face intruding onto the scene. Though this montage has been in circulation for some time, it was given new life from the president’s remarks in his June 8 news conference.

Bush’s ’Mission Accomplished’ I-meme is one of the earliest political memes ever recorded, though the president, himself, never actually uttered those words on May 1, 2003. GLM receives frequent queries, even from the news media, asking when and where those words were recorded.

Bush delivered his prepared text focusing on ‘end of major combat operations’ from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln some thirty miles off the coast of San Diego. In the background, was the typical banner that is arrayed on ships returning from combat operations: Mission Accomplished.

In the analysis, GLM found that Obama cross-referenced with “mission accomplished” citations, surpass those related to Bush by a 9:7 margin.

“Internet Memes can spread quickly or build slowly. The ‘Doing Just Fine’ meme is in a position to build through the November elections, depending, of course, on the ability of the Obama team to deflate it, and the Romney’s team to encourage its propagation,” said Paul JJ Payack, GLM’s president and chief word analyst.

“However, one thing is certain, once a meme ‘ignites,’ it follows its own rules and it future path is not always easy to predict.”

The life cycle of an I-Meme typically follows four stages: 1) Ignition, 2) Verification, 3) Launch, and 4) Propagation.
The last I-Meme crossing the threshold for measurement was the ‘Jolie Leg’ meme ignited during the Academy Award ceremonies last Spring.

Since its ignition, the ‘Doing Just Fine’ meme climbed to Level 2 (out of 5) on the GLM Internet Meme Intensity Index (IMII). GLM will continue to monitor the I-meme as it propagates and evolves.

GLM used NarrativeTracker 2.0 for this analysis. NT2.0 is based on global discourse, providing a real-time, accurate picture of what the public is saying about any topic, at any point in time. NarrativeTracker analyzes the Internet, blogosphere, the top 200,000 print and electronic global media, as well as new media sources, as they emerge.

About Global Language Monitor

Austin-based Global Language Monitor is the pioneer in web-based media analytics. Founded in Silicon Valley, GLM collectively documents, analyzes and tracks trends in language usage worldwide, with a particular emphasis upon the English language.

For information on GLM’s Internet Meme Tracking Services and the Internet Meme Intensity Index, call 1.512.815.8836, go to www.LanguageMonitor.com , call 1.512.815.8836 or email pjjp@post.harvard.edu.

Contact

Phone: +1.512.815.8836 (GMT -6:00)

Email:

For the Editor: Editor@GlobalLanguageMonitor.com

For Paul JJ Payack: pjjp@post.Harvard.edu

For Algorithmic Products: Info@languageMonitor.com

Skype: pauljjpayack

Skype Phone: +1.512.961.7019

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Top Words of the Year (2012) by Category Already Announced

His and Her, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Columbus, Normal and Pet Owner Top List

… from New Girl, Big Bang & Modern Family

followed by Shell Shock, Bi-Polar, Dothraki and La Toti

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Ninth Annual Analysis by the Global Language Monitor

Ninth Annual Ranking Now Includes Fifty-five Cities

GLM’s Exclusive TrendTopper MediaBuzz Rankings

Will London Repeat as the 2012 Top Global Fashion Capital?

See how all the Top 50 Fashion Capitals Rank in this year’s exclusive ranking.

Nominees on the watch list include, St Petersburg, Seoul, and Houston.

Ambushers Leading Sponsors 33-17

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Billions of Dollars in Brand Equity at Stake

Obesogenic, Derecho (and gender-neutral ‘hen’) take on Apocalypse, Kate and Debt

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Number of Words in the English Language: 1,016,672 (July 6 estimate)

Obama’s ”Private Sector doing just fine” now an Internet Meme

Comparisons to Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” Proliferate