A Look Back at the Buzzwords of 2008

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published December 15, 2008 at 8:30 AM PST

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

Bailout. Caribou Barbie. Gas-sipper. Sound familiar? These are just a few of the new buzzwords of 2008. We'll take a look back at how American language grew with new slang over the last year with

Tom Fudge : Language is a living thing. And it's always changing, whether you like it or not, because our culture is in constant flux.

Today, we're going to spend some time looking back on the year 2008 to examine the changes we've seen in this year. In the U.S., of course, we had the election which introduced us to a lot of new names and new ideas. Obama has had an impact on the language... not the man but his name. Also, you may have heard gas sipper, sister wife, or the acronym DWT.

Become a KPBS sponsor

"A Way With Words" airs on KPBS Radio Saturdays at noon and Sundays at 10 a.m.

Guest

Grant Barrett, lexicographer and dictionary editor specializing in slang and new words, and co-host of the language show "A Way With Words."