美國年熱詞排名"凱特"居首
美國全球語言研究所近日預測2012年英語熱門詞彙，英國劍橋公爵夫人凱特·米德爾頓憑藉時尚、知名度和王室身份輕鬆“當選”第一。依照全球語言研究所的估計，全球大約18.3億講英語者會經常說到這個詞。“奧林匹亞”有望成爲第二大熱詞。2012年倫敦夏季奧運會將吸引全球數十億人的眼球。
全球語言研究所負責人保羅·帕亞克表示，“凱特”將繼續受到媒體關注有多個原因。他說，如果凱特懷孕，她的名字將被廣泛提及；即使她沒有懷孕，擔任2012年倫敦奧運會大使仍將使她的曝光率大增。今年，凱特和威廉王子的婚禮使她成爲媒體關注焦點。凱特雖然出身平民家庭，但其優雅的着裝、時髦的裝扮讓她成爲時尚新偶像。
In 2012, buzzwords will bow to the British royals with "Kate," the Duchess of Cambridge, forecast as the most-used word in the media, according to a group that surveys the English language.
The Texas-based Global Language Monitor on Thursday said several factors will keep Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, in the news after her widely-watched wedding earlier this year to Britain's Prince William.
People will see "Kate" used extensively if she becomes pregnant, said Paul Payack, president of the group. And even if she doesn't, the 2012 Olympics in London should heighten her exposure because she will serve as an ambassador to the games.
Born Catherine Middleton to a family of commoners, the duchess of Cambridge has been much discussed in the media this past year due to her marriage to Prince William, who could eventually become King of England.
Her chic style and elegant clothing, handpicked from top designers, have made her a fashion icon, and she and her husband have charmed crowds wherever they went, including on a tour through North America earlier this year.
The Global Language Monitor said it compiles its lists of top words and phrases using a computer algorithm that tracks thousands of media outlets around the globe, as well as blogs and social media websites.
Another top word expected for 2012 will be "Olympiad" given that the summer Olympics are returning, Payack said.
The group in November announced that "Occupy" was the top word of 2011, in reference to the boisterous anti-Wall Street protest camps that arose in recent months in cities across the United States and many other countries.
A year ago, the group predicted "twenty-eleven," the common pronunciation of 2011, would be the top word or phrase of this year, Payack said.
Following "twenty-eleven" were the phrases "Obama-mess" -- which the group predicted would gain traction if President Barack Obama's ratings suffered -- and "great recession."
"We saw 'Occupy' as a response to the 'great recession' and 'Obama-mess' and all that, but no one could have predicted something like Occupy," Payack said.
Overall, Payack said his group deserves a "B" grade for its 2011 word predictions.
