News
Rizz is the Oxford University Press Word of the Year
Are you good at chatting up or flirting with potential partners? If so, you may already have Rizz, even if you didn’t know it.
Oxford University Press (OUP) has named “Rizz” as its Word of the Year for 2023. Oxford’s official definition of rizz is to have attractiveness, style or charm or in flirtation that allows one to easily attract a romantic partner. It can also be used as a verb, such as to “rizz up” a person, which means to attract or chat them up.
Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications and English Linguistics at the University of Winchester, Justine Mortimer, said: “Technology is often a driver for language change, so things that represent new technology or are brought in referring to new technology are often incorporated into the language we use, which is changing all the time.
“TikTok and social media are incredibly creative places and that what OUP look for when they are looking for their Word of the Year, the creativity of language.”
The term first found fame through gaming and internet culture as Youtuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is widely credited with having popularised the word. Usage of rizz continued to grow throughout the year when actor Tom Holland was asked by Buzzfeed about the secrets to his rizz. Holland said: “I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz, my brother Paddy has ultimate rizz.”
Since then, rizz has continued to skyrocket with the word being used massively online, with over 35 billion views of the hashtag rizz on TikTok.
Rizz is a form of phonetic shortening or clipping of “charisma,” which makes rizz even more of an unusual word as most abbreviated versions of words come from the beginning or end of most words. For example, “rhino” comes from the start of “rhinoceros” or “hood” coming from the end of “neighborhood.”
Though some shortened phrases do come from the middle like “flu” from “influenza,” however this is less common and makes the word more unique, according to Oxford.
Rizz was one of eight words on a shortlist, all chosen to reflect on the mood, ethos, and character of this year. Around 30,000 people voted to narrow down the lists before the experts at Oxford crowned rizz as the overall winner.
The other finalists were:
- Prompt: the instruction given to an artificial intelligence program, which determines or influences the content that is created.
- Situationship: a romantic relationship that is not considered to be formal or established.
- Swiftie: the name given to an avid fan of the singer Taylor Swift
Communities are encouraged to buy a poppy as this year’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal is launched in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.
The annual fundraising campaign supports members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, personnel and their families.
The Poppy Appeal remains the Legion’s biggest annual fundraiser.
Last year, more than 32 million poppies were distributed across the UK, and about £51.4 million was raised in donations.
Chris Hayward is managing the Poppy Appeal in North Hampshire & Winchester and said: “Wearing a poppy during Remembrance time shows that you care.”
“It’s a national symbol, and it shows the armed forces community that you appreciate everything that they do.”
She added: “For those who want to get involved, you can wear your poppy, donate to the Royal British Legion, Poppy Appeal, and also participate in the collections and volunteer as a collector.”
Winchester will be recognising remembrance itself, with a service at the Cathedral on Sunday, 9th November, in addition to a service at Winchester Guildhall at 11 am on Armistice Day.
The service will begin at 9:20 am and will include a procession from The Broadway to Winchester Cathedral, as well as wreath laying too.
Donations from the campaign go towards services including mental health support, housing assistance and employment advice for veterans transitioning to civilian life.
For more information on how to donate, volunteer or order poppies online, visit: britishlegion.org.uk/poppyappeal.
Until 2093, asteroid 2025 PN7 will be sharing the Earth’s orbit.
You may have seen circuiting on social media a myth that the Earth has two moons from now until 2083 – sadly, that’s science fiction.
In August of this year astronomers discovered asteroid 2025 PN7.
It is considered a quasi-moon as it orbits the sun in a similar path to Earth.
According to Mike Shanahan, planetarium director at New Jersey’s Liberty Science Centre, the asteroid has been travelling “alongside Earth for 60 years”.
Due to the size of the asteroid, it wasn’t discovered until this summer.
Astronomy fans hoping to see a second moon in the sky are out of luck.
The asteroid is too small and far away to be seen by the naked eye or regular telescopes.
The number of asteroids in Earth-like orbit has been known to exceed 100.
Some orbit alongside the Earth for merely months, whereas others years or decades.
Currently, six other quasi-moons have been recorded near Earth.
Cardiff is the first UK city to introduce a “tax” for SUVs weighing over 2.4 tonnes.
The tax is to be enforced in residential permit areas, and also includes cars that are powered by diesel.
Cardiff Council is hoping that implementing this will improve congestion, the air quality, and create space on pavements.
The exact cost has yet to be announced, but the council has announced it will be releasing the tax in phases.
Winchester is a relatively small city with many residential permit areas – the question of a similar initiative being introduced locally has arisen.
Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council chose not to respond to Winchester News Online, with Winchester City Council stating that it is not a subject a councillor is likely to comment on, as it is an issue relevant to Cardiff and not yet an issue to Winchester.
Though the council does not yet deem this a possibility, it has gotten the public talking.
Jet Gates, a disability campaigner, said:
“It’s going to have a massive impact on disabled people across the UK
“We are a highly marginalized group in society – it’s just yet another nail in the coffin.”
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