Ok, boomer! If you’re above twenty five and have exhibited conservative views, misunderstood internet jargon or yawned, you’ve probably had this cutting phrase thrown at your feet by someone a year younger than you.
The word “boomer”- which can only be used to full effectiveness through the phrase “ok, boomer”- was chosen by Van Dale as word of the year. 42 percent of the voters in this critical election voted for “boomer”. The two runners up were “klimaatspijbelaar” (a student who skips school to protest and draw attention to the climate crisis) and “klimaatdrammer” (an unfavourable word for someone who, in the eyes of the critics, insists on “draconian” laws to deal with the climate crisis).
Other wonderful Dutch words of 2019
Because Dutch is such a weird and funny language, here are some of the other words suggested this year by Van Dale for the illustrious title of word of the year.
Windterreur: term used by those who aren’t a fan of wind turbines in the face of their construction
Vleeswroeging: the remorse that someone feels when they eat meat, because they realise that the production of meat through intensive livestock production leads to the emission of many greenhouse gases
Nulrentoceen: a funny term for the period in which savers receive no interest in the money in their account
Stekkersubsidie: a subsidy for electrical cars via a tax break for their owner
Foeigesprek: an interrogative conversation between a police officer and someone who has violated a rule or law, and sometimes also with the (suspected) perpetrators of a crime
Toetertrouwstoet: a wedding procession in which the participants are beeping loudly, and probably breaking traffic rules as well.
Got any other favourite Dutch words of 2019? Drop them in the comments below!
Feature image: Free-Photos/Pixabay