The English language crossed the 1 million word threshold on June 10, 2009 at 10:22 am GMT. Web 2.0, meaning next generation web products and services, was determined to be the 1,000,000th word based on its breadth of usage globally and number of citations. Other top contenders for the milestone word came from India, China, and other countries. Currently, about 1.53 billion people speak English around the world, and the language gains approximately 14.7 new words per day.

1. The English Language WordClock: 1,000,001
.
As expected, with a new word created about every 98 minutes (14.7 per day) the
English-language crossed the Million Word Mark on June 10th, 2009 at 10:22 am
(Stratford-on Avon Time)
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Media Alert: For Frequently Asked Questions about the Million Word March, go
here.
Simon Winchester: ”On the Joys of our truly Global Language” — London
Telegraph
Web 2.0 beats Jai Ho, N00b and Slumdog
.
as the 1,000,000th English Word
English passed the Million Word mark earlier today, June 10 at 10:22 am GMT

2. Word Number 1,000,001: Financial Tsunami
Austin, Texas June 10, 2009 – The Global Language Monitor today announced that Web
2.0 has bested Jai Ho, N00b and Slumdog as the 1,000,000th English word or phrase.
added to the codex of fourteen hundred-year-old language. Web 2.0 is a technical term
meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services. It has crossed
from technical jargon into far wider circulation in the last six months. Two terms from
India, Jai Ho! and slumdog finished No. 2 and 4. Jai Ho! Is a Hindi exclamation
signifying victory or accomplishment; Slumdog is an impolite term for children living in
the slums. Just missing the top spot was n00b, a mixture of letters and numbers that is a
derisive term for newcomer. It is also the only mainstream English word that contains
within itself two numerals. Rounding out the final five were another technical term,
cloud computing, meaning services that are delivered via the cloud (or Internet), and a
term from the Climate Change debate, carbon neutral. At its current rate, English
generates about 14.7 words a day or one every 98 minutes.
“As expected, English crossed the 1,000,000 word threshold on June 10, 2009 at 10:22
am GMT. However, some 400 years after the death of the Bard, the words and phrases
were coined far from Stratford-Upon-Avon, emerging instead from Silicon Valley, India,
China, and Poland, as well as Australia, Canada, the US and the UK,” said Paul JJ
Payack, president and chief word analyst of the Global Language Monitor. “English has
become a universal means of communication; never before have so many people been
able to communicate so easily with so many others.”
The English language is now being studies by hundreds of millions around the globe for
entertainment, commercial or scientific purposes.” In 1960 there were some 250 million
English speakers, mostly in former colonies and the Commonwealth countries. The future
of English as a major language was very much in doubt. Today, some 1.53 billion people
now speak English as a primary, auxiliary, or business language, with some 250 million
acquiring the language in China alone.

3. These are the fifteen finalists for the one millionth English word, all of which have met
the criteria of a minimum of 25,000 citations with the necessary breadth of geographic
distribution, and depth of citations.
1,000,000: Web 2.0 – The next generation of web products and services, coming soon to
a browser near you.
999,999: Jai Ho! – The Hindi phrase signifying the joy of victory, used as an
exclamation, sometimes rendered as “It is accomplished”. Achieved English-language
popularity through the multiple Academy Award Winning film, “Slumdog Millionaire”.
999,998: N00b — From the Gamer Community, a neophyte in playing a particular game;
used as a disparaging term.
999,997: Slumdog – a formerly disparaging, now often endearing, comment upon those
residing in the slums of India.
999,996: Cloud Computing – The ‘cloud’ has been technical jargon for the Internet for
many years. It is now passing into more general usage.
999,995: Carbon Neutral — One of the many phrases relating to the effort to stem
Climate Change.
999,994: Slow Food — Food other than the fast-food variety hopefully produced locally
(locavores).
999,993: Octomom – The media phenomenon relating to the travails of the mother of the
octuplets.
999,992: Greenwashing – Re-branding an old, often inferior, product as environmentally
friendly.
999,991: Sexting – Sending email (or text messages) with sexual content.
999,990: Shovel Ready – Projects are ready to begin immediately upon the release of
federal stimulus funds.
999,989: Defriend – Social networking terminology for cutting the connection with a
formal friend.
999,988: Chengguan – Urban management officers, a cross between mayors, sheriff, and
city managers.
999,987: Recessionista – Fashion conscious who use the global economic restructuring to
their financial benefit.

4. 999,986: Zombie Banks – Banks that would be dead if not for government intervention
and cash infusion.
———————————————————————————————————
In addition, the 1,000,001st word is Financial Tsunami – The global financial
restructuring that seemingly swept out of nowhere, wiping out trillions of dollars of
assets, in a matter of months
Each word was analyzed to determine which depth (number of citations) and breadth
(geographic extent of word usage), as well as number of appearances in the global print
and electronic media, the Internet, the blogosphere, and social media (such as Twitter and
YouTube). The Word with the highest PQI score was deemed the 1,000,000th English
language word. The Predictive Quantities Indicator (PQI) is used to track and analyze
word usage.
Global Language Monitor has been tracking English word creation since 2003. Once it
identifies new words (or neologisms) it measures their extent and depth of usage with its
PQI technology.
English Language Millionth Word Finalists Announced,
including: alcopops, bangster, de-friend, n00b, quendy-trendy, slumdog,
and wonderstar

5. English to Pass Millionth Word June 10 at 10:22 am GMT
Million Word March Now Stands at 999,824
Austin, Texas May 29, 2009 – The Global Language Monitor today announced the
finalists for the Million Word March. The English Language will cross the 1,000,000
word threshold on June 10, 2009 at 10:22 am Stratford-Upon-Avon time.
“The Million Word milestone brings to notice the coming of age of English as the first,
truly global Language”, said Paul JJ Payack, president and chief word analyst of the
Global Language Monitor. “There are three major trends involving the English language
today: 1) An explosion in word creation; English words are being added to the language
at the rate of some 14.7 words a day; 2) a geographic explosion where some 1.53 billion
people now speak English around the globe as a primary, auxiliary, or business language;
and 3) English has become, in fact, the first truly global language.”
Due to the global extent of the English language, the Millionth Word is as likely to
appear from India, China, or East L.A.as it is to emerge from Stratford-upon-Avon
(Shakespeare’s home town). The final words and phrases under consideration are listed
below. These words represent each of the categories of Global English that GLM tracks,
Since English appears to be adding a new word every 98 minutes or about 14.7 words a
day, the Global Language Monitor is selecting a representative sampling. You can follow
the English Language WordClock counting down to the one millionth word at
www.LanguageMonitor.com.
These words that are on the brink of entering the language as the finalists for the One
Millionth English Word:
Australia: Alchopops – Sugary-flavored mixed drinks very much en vogue.
Chinglish: Chengguan – Urban management officers, a cross between mayors, sheriff,
and city managers.
Economics: 1) Financial Tsunami – The global financial restructuring that seemingly
swept out of nowhere, wiping out trillions of dollars of assets, in a matter of months. 2)
Zombie Banks – Banks that would be dead if not for government intervention and cash
infusion.
Entertainment: Jai Ho! — From the Hindi, “it is accomplished’ achieved English-
language popularity through the multiple Academy Award Winner, “Slumdog
Millionaire”.
Fashion: 1) Chiconomics – The ability to maintain one’s fashion sense (chicness) amidst
the current financial crisis. 2) Recessionista – Fashion conscious who use the Global
economic restructuring to their financial benefit; 3) Mobama – relating to the fashion-
sense of the US First Lady, as in ‘that is quite mobamaish’.

6. Popular Culture: Octomom (the media phenomenon of the mother of the octuplets).
Green Living: 1) Green washing – Re-branding an old product as environmentally
friendly. 2) E-vampire – Appliances and machines on standby-mode, which continually
use electrical energy they ‘sleep’. 3) Slow food: — Food other than the fast-food variety
hopefully produced locally (locavores).
Hinglish: Chuddies – Ladies’ underwear or panties.
Internet: 1) De-follow – No longer following the updates of someone on a social
networking site. 2) De-friend – No longer following the updates of a friend on a social
networking site; much harsher than de-following. 3) Web 2.0 – The next generation of
web services.
Language: Toki Pona – The only language (constructed or natural) with a trademark.
Million Word March: MillionWordWord — Default entry if no other word qualifies.
Music: Wonderstar – as in Susan Boyle, an overnight sensation, exceeding all realsonable
expectations.
Poland: Bangsters – A description of those responsible for ‘predatory’ lending practices,
from a combination of the words banker and gangster.
Politically incorrect: 1) Slumdog – a formerly disparaging comments upon those residing
in the slums of India; Seatmates of size – US airline euphemism for passengers who carry
enough weight to require two seats.
Politics: 1) Carbon neutral — One of the many phrases relating to the effort to stem
Climate Change. 2) Overseas Contingency Operations – The Obama re-branding of the
Bush War on Terror.
Sports: Phelpsian – The singular accomplishments of Michael Phelps at the Beijing
Olympics.
Spirituality: Renewalist – Movements that encompass renewal of the spirit; also call
‘Spirit-filled’ movements.
Technology: 1) Cloud Computing – The ‘cloud’ has been technical jargon for the Internet
for many years. It is now passing into more general usage. 2) N00b — From the Gamer
Community; a neophyte in playing a particular game; used as a disparaging term. 3)
Sexting – Sending email (or text messages) with sexual content.
YouthSpeak: Quendy-Trendy — British youth speak for hip or up-to-date.
Extra Credit:

7. French word with least chance of entering English Language: le courriel – E-Mail.
Most recognized English-language word on the planet: O.K.
Each word is being analyzed to determine which is attaining the greatest depth (number
of citations) and breadth (geographic extent of word usage), as well as number
appearances in the global print and electronic media, the Internet, the blogosphere, and
social media (such as Twitter and YouTube). The Word with the highest PQI score will
be deemed the 1,000,000th English language word. The Predictive Quantities Indicator
(PQI) is used to track and analyze word usage.
Global Language Monitor has been tracking English word creation since 2003. Once it
identifies new words (or neologisms) it measures their extent and depth of usage with its
PQI technology.
In Shakespeare’s day, there were only 2,000,000 speakers of English and fewer than
100,000 words. Shakespeare himself coined about 1,700 words. Thomas Jefferson
invented about 200 words, and George W. Bush created a handful, the most prominent of
which is, misunderestimate. US President Barack Obama’s surname passed into
wordhood last year with the rise of obamamania.