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Yolo

Pavel SrajNovember 27, 2012

Carpe diem.

https://p.dw.com/p/16pzV
Image: lassedesignen/Fotolia

If you've never heard of the word YOLO, you can consider yourself old. This week is was named Germany's Youth Word of the Year. Each year, a jury from the Langenscheidt publishing house selects a term embodies contemporary youth culture in Germany. And basically makes the rest of us feel like we're totally out of it.

YOLO, said the jury, is often used online. And actually it's not even a word, but an acronym: "You only live once." Sometimes it helps to reiterate life's basic truths. And this one certainly reinstates any hope we may have lost in the young generation. If they are telling each other to take all the opportunities and chances life throws at them - hats off!

Other words in the top five list include Yalla, which is the Arabic word for "Come on" or "hurry up." Then there is Wulffen, a word coined from the scandal which forced ex-German President Christian Wulff to resign.The word can either mean to say too much on someone's voicemail or to live at someone else's expense.  Wulff was forced from office after allegations that a film producer paid for a luxury holiday when he was a state governor.

In fifth place was Komasutra which means the unsuccessful attempt at sexual intercourse between two very drunk people.