The “Youth Word of the Year 2022” is being sought, and this year too, gaming, Twitch, and streaming terms are included in the selection. Tell us: How many terms do you know?
This is the search for the Youth Word of the Year: The Youth Word of the Year has been sought by the Langenscheidt Publishing House since 2008.
For example, treasures like “YOLO”, “Smombie”, “fly sein”, and last year, “cringe” have already been awarded. Also, “papatastisch” from streamer “PapaPlatte” was nominated but did not make it through.
This year, there is also a vote again.
Currently, only the Top 10 are available for selection: One of the following ten terms will be the Youth Word of the Year 2022. Here you can find the terms along with their official explanations (via langenscheidt.com).
- Gommemode
- Infinitely strong, invulnerable
- SIU(UUU)
- Exclamation when something unbelievably good / cool happens
- Smash
- To start something with someone; from the game “Smash or Pass”
- wild / wyld
- intense, crazy
- Digga / Diggah
- Buddy, friend
- Macher
- someone who implements things without hesitation
- Bodenlos
- bad, miserable, incredible
- Slay
- when someone looks confident, acts confidently, or does or achieves something spectacular
- Sus
- suspicious; from the game “Among Us”
- Bre / Bro / Bruder
- Buddy, friend
We will look at the exact origin of some of the words further down. But first, we want to know from you: How many of the terms did you know, how many do you use in everyday language?
Participate in the survey!
How much gaming, streaming & Twitch is involved?
Anyone who regularly follows streamers on Twitch, YouTube, and Co. will have heard some of the terms from the selection.
In the case of “sus”, for example, the context is even directly brought up by Langenscheidt: It became popular back then, when Among Us became the big thing on Twitch. Those who behaved suspiciously were “suspicious” – or just “sus”. The word was already nominated in 2021 but could not prevail against “cringe”.
Also, the “Gommemode” has a gaming reference and goes back to the Minecraft streamer GommeHD. However, that was actually a few years ago – as early as 2015, there was a song on YouTube called “when the Gommemode is activated”, which addressed the topic (via YouTube).
The term “Macher” has also become established in social media; for example, you see it increasingly in connection with Twitch streamer EliasN97. Elias Nerlich is now one of the most successful German streamers on Twitch and organized professional FIFA tournaments at a high level. He also referred to Ronaldo as “Macher” – which brings us to the next term.
Because the “SIUUUUU” is the sound that Cristiano Ronaldo makes during his famous celebration. It is often imitated – which went quite wrong for a YouTuber.
Ronaldo doesn’t have anything to do directly with Twitch, but you can also perform the celebration authentically in FIFA – including the SIUUUU.
Also, the remaining terms are heard on platforms like Twitch or YouTube every now and then. “Diggah” or “Bro” are quite common – if not already a bit outdated compared to the other terms.
Which of them do you use in everyday life? All? None? Something in between? Let us know in the comments!
