This year’s word “Wappie” at Onze Taal

The organization reported on NPO Radio 1 De Taalstaat that more than 32 percent of Onze Talen members chose “wappie”. Onze Taal explains in a press release that a “Wappie is” someone who has a different view of the facts, for example when it comes to epidemic policy, and is therefore sometimes considered an outsider.” Wappie is also used as a nickname. According to the members of Onze Taal, this word is the best characteristic of 2021: it is a reflection of, and criticism of, the Corona policy, which has a huge impact on our lives. ”

The word has been around since the 1990s, initially it was an adjective meaning “under the influence” and “unwise”. In recent years, the word has become increasingly popular as a noun to refer to people.

“Wappie” beat “snottecall protocol”, and “pandemoe” came in third. About 15 percent of the community’s 22,000 members cast their votes. A year earlier, Unzi Tal chose “a meter and a half community” as the word of the year.

Earlier this week, Van Dale, in collaboration with VRT, chose “banging” as the best word of the year in Flanders. The word got 37.2 percent of about 7,000 votes. The “tile swing” ended in two, the “booster potion” in three. In the Netherlands, “prikspijt” was chosen as Van Dale’s best word of the year.