Linguists were unable to write this year into one word and decided to focus on the vocabulary that characterizes the main problems of the period.

The Oxford Dictionary failed to single out one of the most important words of 2020 and published a number of concepts describing that time. A message about this appeared on November 23 on the official website of the dictionary. 

“The English language, like all of us, has had to adapt rapidly and repeatedly this year. Our team of expert lexicographers have captured and analysed this lexical data every step of the way. As our Word of the Year process started and this data was opened up, it quickly became apparent that 2020 is not a year that could neatly be accommodated in one single “word of the year”,” the statement. 

Linguistic scholars have chosen words that reflect “spirit, mood and concern 2020” and have placed them on the calendar. 

So in January, the main words were bushfire (devastating forest fire) in connection with the fires in Australia and impeachment due to events in the United States. 

In the spring, the list of words and expressions included: coronavirus, COVID-19, lockdown (forced quarantine measures), social distancing, reopening. 

One of the words of August was the adjective “Belarusian”. 

Last year, the Oxford Dictionary called the main phrase climate emergency, and in 2018, the main word was “toxic”.