we now have all these word lists from 2012. which of these has the most (or least) legitimacy?

a) Oxford Dictionaries UK Word of the Year 2012 (omnishambles)
b) Oxford American Dictionaries Word of the Year 2012 (GIF??)
c) dictionary.com (bluster)
d) American Dialect Society (hashtag)
e) Merriam-Webster (socialism/capitalism(!?) [edit: these were the most 'looked up']
f) SF Chronicle (fiscal cliff)
g) dictionary.com, one of the worst words of 2012 (fiscal cliff)

speaking of worst words, we have

a) Lake Superior State University, yearly list of "banished words" (e.g., fiscal cliff) link

b) The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, annual list of most annoying words (e.g., whatever) link

My take:
a) Fleeting regionalism
b) eh? I have never encountered their verb form
c) wtf?
d) On the money: world wide, definitely high currency (and prolly high water mark too!)
e) Nuttin’ to do with some minor local election I suppose?!
f) Yep, bin it
g) I even heard one radio commentary trying to reconcile the hideously convoluted image of the “looming fiscal cliff” encountering the “debt ceiling”

> speaking of worst words, we have

a) Lake Superior State University - ok, so we now know Lake Superior has a university…

b) The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion whatever

This is amusing. Might tell the strict line between the two is fading. (what was it again?)

> Yes Maverick, I'm doing my 43 minutes a day of culture. BBC-s programs are really good. Making accessible programs on subjects many people have not been specifically trained in/on/at??? Darn you, English prepositions!

bluster? ain't that always been a word?

and yes, hashtag is here to stay.

A WOTY isn't always a new word. Here's dictionary.com's reason.

Aha! Thanks!

Actually, given the number of times I've read it recently, "egregious" seems to be headed towards the No. 1 spot!

> egregious

Flocking outstanding!

Interesting to note this has flipped from its Latin roots of 'excellent' to 'baaa~aad' - and perhaps drifting back now into a sort of Janus state?

About time, I say.

Someone occasionally wishes me an egregious evening; I have given up expressing my dismay.

CapK, I can hardly believe my eyes! [blowing kiss e]

I poked my head in looking for trolls. And, unlike Bilbo Baggins, I didn't find any!

I shall duck and dive a little, swapping between CapK and Capfka. A moving target is ... a moving target.

Good to see you back here, mate.

Good to see you so active, Hilary. On yer!