Switzerland to choose its first youth word of the year

Switzerland will choose its first Youth Word of the Year, with young people invited to submit suggestions by October 16, Swiss broadcaster SRF reports.

The Zurich University of Applied Sciences, known as ZHAW, is organizing the selection as a counterpart to its Word of the Year, which it has chosen since 2017.

People aged 13 to 20 can submit words or expressions currently in use among young people in Switzerland. A jury made up of young people will discuss the submissions alongside its own suggestions and select the top three. ZHAW will provide linguistic support and help explain the chosen words to a wider audience.

The process will also take place in French, Italian and Romansh, with a separate jury for each language. The three selected youth words in the four national languages are due to be announced on October 26.

Discriminatory or derogatory expressions, proper names and political or ideological statements are not eligible. Germany’s current top three are “Crashout,” “Ragebait” and “Peak,” but SRF says it is not known whether those words also reflect the language of young people in Switzerland.