Do words of the year even mean anything?

Shameless

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On today’s show: ‘brain rot’, ‘enshittification’, ‘polarisation’, ‘demure’, ‘manifest’ - what do all these words have in common? Well, they’ve each been tapped as candidates for 2024’s Word of the Year. These are the words that, allegedly, encapsulate the vibe and cultural mood of 2024. But do these words actually… mean anything?

This week, Zara recommended The Gentleman From Peru by Andre Aciman. Mich recommended ‘How Does My Divorce Make You Feel?’ in The Cut.

Big thanks to the 2025 Australian Open for making this episode possible. The Ground Pass is a good shout – you can wander the Garden Square eateries by day, or even head in for drinks after work. Purchase your AO25 Ground Pass from just $35 by visiting Ticketmaster.com.au.

This episode was audio-produced by Eilish Gilligan.

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