Covfefe Now Validated as an English-language Word

Austin, Texas, June 6, 2017  — According to the Global Language Monitor, Covfefe has been validated as an English-language word.  This according to the methodology established early in the 21st century by GLM.  Earlier today, a simple Google search resulted in some 17,000,000 citations, with close to 500,000 news stories. Baidu, the Chinese ‘Google-equivalent’ also produced a cascading number of  Covfefe-related citations

 

According to Paul JJ Payack, president and chief word analyst for GLM, “The Global Language Monitor put into place this ‘Optimized for the Wired World’ methodology that can test new words and phrases from the entire global English linguasphere. To be considered, the word must fulfill global, as well as geographic and demographic requirements. Covfefe met these criteria earlier today.

 

A Methodology Optimized for the Wired World -- GLM’s Word of the Year rankings are based upon actual word usage throughout the English-speaking world, which now approaches some 2.38 billion people, who use the language as a first, second, business language. To qualify for these lists, the words, names, and phrases must meet three criteria: 1) found globally, 2) have a minimum of 25,000 citations, and 3) have the requisite ‘depth’ and ‘breadth’ of usage. Depth is here defined as appearing in various forms of media; breadth that they must appear world-over, not limited to a particular profession or social group or geography. The goal is to find the word usage that will endure the test of time.

President George W. Bush was a most prodigious neologism-maker, ‘Misunderestimate’ was his all-time list topper.  See our Coverage  (covfefe) of Bushisms at the time.

Global Language Monitor also uses these newly available technologies to document the Words of the Year for Global English, with the idea to encapsulate and capture the essence of the preceding twelve months in a sort of linguistic amber.

Accordingly, GLM has updated its Top Trending Words of 2017 (#WOTY2017) to include ‘covfefe’.  Covfefe currently occupies the No. 12A position between No. 12 ‘wikileaks,’ and No. 13, ‘Non-binary,’  as to the definition of the word, there are any number of contenders swirling about. Most seem to revolve about various SpellCheck suggestions: such as  Coffee, Coif, kerfuffle, and, of course, coverage.

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In 2003, The Global Language Monitor (GLM) was founded in Silicon Valley by Paul J.J. Payack on the understanding that new technologies and techniques were necessary for truly understanding the world of Big Data, as it is now known.  Today, from its home in Austin, Texas GLM provides a number of innovative products and services that utilize its ‘algorithmic services’ to help worldwide customers protect, defend and nurture their branded products and entities. Products include ‘brand audits’ to assess the current status, establish baselines, and competitive benchmarks for current intellectual assets and brands, and to defend products against ambush marketing.

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