“Conflict”, “immigration”, “INEM” and “police” are some of the ten finalist words for the choice of ‘ Word of the Year’, an initiative by Porto Editora to determine the most searched words that reflect themes that have marked this year in Portugal. Voting online, via www.palavradoano.pt will take place until the last second of December 31. The winning word will be revealed in the first few days of January.
Porto Editora has promoted this event for 16 years in partnership with Infopédia, seeking to valorise ‘the richness and dynamism of the Portuguese language as it mirrors the transformations and challenges of society’. Previous years have seen the words ‘teacher’ (2023), ‘war’ (2022), ‘vaccine’ (2021), ‘saudade’ (2020), ‘domestic violence’ (2019), ‘nurse’ (2018), ‘fires’ (2017), “geringonça” (2016), “refugee” (2015), “corruption” (2014), “firefighter” (2013), “entroikado”*(2012), “austerity” (2011), “vuvuzela” (2010) and “scrutinise” (2009). Perhaps entroikado (meaning well and truly ‘troikered’, referring to the misery of the Troika years) is the only word that shows a sense of humour. All the others have had pretty grim connotations, as do the contenders for 2024.
