Mozambique’s ‘Word of the Year’ to be announced today

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Mozambique’s ‘Word of the Year’ to be announced today

3:28 CAT | 04 Dec 2018

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In 2016, the elected word of the year in Mozambique was “peace,” and in 2017 “tseke”. Which word will be chosen in 2018? The polling has already started on www.palavradoano.co.mz, after the announcement on November 1st of the 10 candidate words.

The winner of the third edition of this Plural Editores/Camões Portuguese Cultural Centre initiative will be announced on December 5, at 5:00 p.m., at a ceremony hosted by musician Roberto Chitsondzo, and looks set to remain an annual fixture.

The ‘Word of the Year’ initiative, with the registered trademark of Porto Editora, has as its main objective emphasising the lexical richness and creative dynamism of the Portuguese language, the living and precious heritage of all those who express themselves in it, thus emphasising the importance of words and their meanings in the individual and social production of the senses with which we interpret and construct our own lives.

The suggestions period starts in May of each year and lasts until the end of October, when Plural Publishers announces the list of 10 candidate for the Word Of The Year, defined by the suggestions of Internet users and the study of the frequency and distribution of word usage, social media monitoring and social networks, as well as visits and queries to the Porto Editora group’s digital dictionaries.

Here are the 10 candidate words of 2018 for Mozambique:

Accident / acidente – Mozambique’s numerous fatal road accidents are real tragedy, making recurring claims on users of collective passenger transport.

Local elections / autárquicas – The municipal elections were the main theme of the political agenda, especially in the second half of the year.

Desbarato / undersell – Many farmers have complained about the selling off at rock-bottom prices of the produce they harvest on their farms.

Gas / gás – The exploitation of one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world has motivated several agreements between the state and different multinationals in the sector.

Marandza – This term is increasingly used in social networks to designate a woman who chooses a partner with the purpose of obtaining advantages.

Resettlement / reassentamento – International investment in natural gas exploration in the north of the country has led to the development of multiple resettlement projects for local communities.

Resilience / resiliência – The multiple difficulties faced by Mozambicans in everyday life elicit an undeniable capacity for perseverance in the face of adversity.

National team / selecção – After a promising start in the African Cup of Nations, the Mambas have accumulated several less positive results, endangering their qualification for the finals.
AIDS / SIDA – AIDS is a serious public health problem in Mozambique and is one of the main causes of death among citizens of working age.

Terrorism / terrorismo – Several terrorist attacks have been carried out this year in villages and towns in the districts of Palma and Mocímboa da Praia in Cabo Delgado province.

Source: Camões - Centro Cultural Português Maputo / Press Release