The poll for the Youth Word of the Year, organized by PWN, the Institute of the Polish Language at the University of Warsaw and the National Culture Centre, has been decided. The word “alternatywka” took first place. As we read on polityka.pl:
That is, “a girl with alternative tastes and behaviours.” The Urban Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial Speech does state neutrally that it refers to anyone who listens to alternative music and dresses accordingly, disregarding prevailing trends and fashions. But the feminine ending, the broader context and one of the patrons of this style, the popular singer Billie Eilish [na zdjęciu nagłówkowym – przyp. istotne.pl], evidently mean that girls make up the majority of alternatywki.
The noun “jesieniara,” meaning “an autumn lover,” came second. In third place was “eluwina” – a greeting resulting from transforming the words halo/elo.
As we read on the website of one of the organizers of the poll:
The poll’s jury considers the following explanation of the meaning of jesieniara to be the most interesting, accurate and vivid definition:
Jesieniara is a word describing a person (a man or a woman; it is a gender-neutral word) who adores the autumn season. True “jesieniary” are characterized by engaging in typically autumnal activities, namely sitting under a blanket in warm clothes with a hot mug of any beverage.
What do you think? How do you like this year’s Youth Words of the Year? Do you use them? Will you use them? We invite you to discuss.
Let us recall that last year’s poll was won by the slang word “dzban,” which – judging, for example, from posts on our forums – has already become established in the language of many of our compatriots :)