99 YEARS OLD AND STILL COINING NEW EXITS
IN FEBRUARY 2012, a couple of smart American economists came up with the word “Grexit” to describe the possibility of Greece leaving the EU. Towards the end of the same year, the term “Brexit” began to appear for Britain leaving.
This neologism took a little while to catch on. Our database of British newspapers contains only 14 examples of Brexit in 2012, 72 in 2013 and 140 in 2014, but since then the word has spread like a linguistic virus.
In 2015, the database records 856 Brexits while in the current year, there was a remarkable rise in the monthly figures leading up to the referendum and its immediate aftermath: from January to July, they were 608, 1,963, 2,634, 2,442, 3,388, 8,236, 9,128.
After the referendum they fell back to 4,971 in August but rose again to 5,631 in September and already, from October 1-17, they have registered 4,203 this month. At that rate, they will reach a total of 7,664 Brexits for October which will be almost as high as the figure for the months on either side of the referendum itself. By the end of this year, Brexits could be at an all-time high and by the end of the decade, there could be no room for any other words at all in our newspapers.
The speed at which this has happened should serve as a lesson for us and we must be prepared for whatever the future holds, in particular for words on the lines of Grexit and Brexit appropriate for other countries leaving the EU.
Only a few days ago I saw a suggestion that Spain might vote to leave and the only word the political commentator could suggest for that occurrence was “Spexit”, which I think rather feeble. Surely “Spadios” would be a better word.
As for France, I reluctantly feel we should not talk of “Frogzit”, as this could be offensive to sufferers from ranidophobia (that’s fear of frogs, in case you didn’t know) but “Frencheerio” ought to be acceptable. If Norway joined the EU then quickly left again, we could use a similar valedictory term, “Cheerioslo” or perhaps even better, “Oslorevoir”. Or they could join Denmark and Sweden in one big Scandinaviadieu.
Like Norway, Sri Lanka is not an EU member, but it is almost worth their while joining just so that they can leave to a chorus of “SolongCeylon”.
As for Austria, we are presented with a wide variety of choice: Cheeriostria and Austriadieu would be quite adequate, I feel, but I think I would opt for Toodleoostria when the EU bids them farewell.
Ireland is easy enough: Goodbyreland will be perfectly all right, and Romania could relish the prospect of a Toodleroomania, but Latvia and Germany pose problems.
I suppose Hastlatvista might do the former, but Prussiadieu is historically dodgy for Germany and adieutschland does not sound right.
As for the Luxemburgers, perhaps it would be better if they stayed in the EU. I have a nasty feeling that the term Luxemburgeroff could become widespread, though I cannot say that I approve.