Kicker: Words of the year

NICK EICHER, HOST: Oxford’s 2024 word of the year apparently couldn’t be contained in just one word, so the editors chose two: “brain rot.”

It’s the phrase that captures the mental decline brought on by overindulging in trivial online content.

Meanwhile, another dictionary publisher went the other direction. Collins Dictionary selected “brat” as its word of the year—not for an ill-mannered child, but as redefined this summer by a dance album artist.

According to Collins, “brat” now means being “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” So while one word laments online culture, the other doubles down on it.

So maybe they’re both right: It is a bratty, brain-rotted world . and we just live here.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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