ADS WotY: bailout

Seeing bailout win the Word of the Year vote is kinda like seeing the regular season leader win the championship: it's a deserved but boring win. It already won the Merriam-Webster championship. So at least the ADS gives us some other categories to keep it interesting.

MOST USEFUL: Barack Obama

It's not a political statement. It's about the words. Barack the vote. Can you smell what barack is cooking? Obamanation. Obamania. &c.

Among the nominees: Palinesque—pertaining to a person who has extended themselves beyond their expertise, thereby bringing ridicule upon a serious matter. The birth of a legacy.

MOST CREATIVE: recombobulation area

An area at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee in which passengers that have just passed through security screening can get their clothes and belongings back in order. I hadn't heard this one but I think the idea of general recombobulation could stick.

MOST UNNECESSARY: moofing (Mobile Out of OFfice)

Shouldn't that be Mooo? Or Mooo-ing? Or Moooficing? In her tweet report Erin McKean calls it a stupid PR-created word. Agreed.

Bromance was nominated and got some votes but I like the word. It's relevant and it sounds right and it's got some miles put on it. Brian— Casey— you guys make this one work.

MOST OUTRAGEOUS: terrorist fist jab

E. D. Hill is an idiot.

MOST EUPHEMISTIC: scooping technician

A pooper scooper (agent, not instrument).

The runner up, age-doping, doesn't seem too euphemistic to me. Had I been there, I would have voted for thought showers, used in place of brainstorming out of respect to epileptics. I'd roll my eyes but that might be offensive too.

MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: shovel-ready

It's a term used to describe infrastructure projects that can be started quickly when Obama's economic stimulus package is enacted writes Ben Zimmer rooting for this word. The problem I have with it is that I keep imagining that the shoveling refers to something else. Phrases like get your shovel ready or you're gonna need a shovel have contaminated this term. To me it sounds almost like the opposite of what it means.

LEAST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: PUMA (Party Unity My Ass)

An appropriate category for Hillary's bitter supporters

NEW CATEGORY: ELECTION-RELATED WORDS: maverick

Anything but.

Hockey mom was nominated and I'd say it's as good as soccer mom considering kids in the states don't play either.