The Guardian

Yes, covfefe is a word now. That's the Trump effect | David Shariatmadari

Influential people have always had the power to change language. The president’s late-night typo sent the internet crazy, but will it stick around?
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- 'Emma Stone' Episode 1712 -- Pictured: (l-r) Kate McKinnon as Kellyanne Conway and Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump during the 'Classroom Cold Open' sketch on December 3, 2016 -- (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Covfefe is the word on everyone’s lips. Or rather, it would be if people knew how to say it. You see, this latest contender for 2017’s “word of the year” (see also: ; ; ) started life on the page. A page that was refreshed millions of times as Twitter users blinked at their screens in confusion. The president of the United States had once again typoed his way into the early hours and the world’s befuddled consciousness. This time, however, unlike “unpresidented” and “honered”, the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Guardian

The Guardian8 min read
PinkPantheress: ‘I Don’t Think I’m Very Brandable. I Dress Weird. I’m Shy’
PinkPantheress no longer cares what people think of her. When she released her lo-fi breakout tracks Break it Off and Pain on TikTok in early 2021, aged just 19, she did so anonymously, partly out of fear of being judged. Now, almost three years late
The Guardian4 min read
The Golden Bachelor’s Older Singletons Have Saved A Franchise
Strange as it may sound, one of the hottest shows on TV this fall has been … an old dating series now catering, for once, to senior citizens. That would be The Golden Bachelor, a new spin-off of America’s pre-eminent dating series in which a 72-year-
The Guardian4 min read
Lawn And Order: The Evergreen Appeal Of Grass-cutting In Video Games
Jessica used to come for tea on Tuesdays, and all she wanted to do was cut grass. Every week, we’d click The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’s miniature disc into my GameCube and she’d ready her sword. Because she was a couple of years younger than m

Related Books & Audiobooks