Coronavirus: The new words and phrases that have come with it
Friday, 27 March 2020
Kiwis are now in iso, hanging out in their bubble, making sure we flatten the curve, break the chain and stop the rona.
Words and phrases no-one had heard of a few weeks ago have now become common as.
And, as New Zealanders are in the habit of doing, the new words are being shortened.
So, self-isolation has become iso for some, you can call coronavirus 'the rona', and some of us have borrowed from our Australian friends in referring to hand sanitiser as sanny.
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That's just the tip of the Covid-19 slang that's quickly made its way into everyday usage.
The Aussies were quick off the mark with some Covid-19 slang - no surprises there. Magpie, for example, is a person who hoards stuff from the supermarket. And, it's fair to say there are more than a few magpies on both sides of the ditch.
The Urban Dictionary coined the word Covidiot for all those clowns out there who refused to self isolate, bawled over toilet paper or ignored lockdown rules. Because, as they said, stupidity is contagious.
Covidiot has gone coronaviral, apparently.
Because the number of Covid-19 cases are increasing, New Zealand went into alert level-4 at 11.59pm, March 25. Three weeks ago who knew alert levels were even a thing?
But now we all know alert level 4 means the country is in lockdown and for the next four weeks, at least, everyone but essential workers must stay at home.
This means people are able to exercise in their neighbourhood or travel to essential services such as supermarkets or pharmacies. So, no tiki touring, keep it local.
But people should not interact with people outside their bubble, the word now meaning the small group of people you are are in iso with.
And bubble, it seems, has now also become a verb, as in 'who are you bubbling with?'
People are being encouraged to dob in anyone seen breaking the lockdown rules. So, it'll be interesting to see what words come out of that, family friendly ones of course. Will a dobber-ina dob in someone who then becomes a ??? Time will tell.
All other activities should be avoided, so people can keep their social distance - another phrase that has become part of the language. Social distance is two metres away from someone else.
Community transmission has nothing to do with your TV or internet connection, just like contactless delivery doesn't mean the delivery person has lost their contact lenses.
You would hope if people are contact tracing face to face they are wearing their PPE (personal protection equipment).
Forget millennials. The next generation are the coronallennials, or bubble babies, the babies who will be born in the next nine or 10 months as a result of their parents being stuck at home for weeks.
If you are easily offended stop reading now: overseas they are talking of people in self-isolation being in danger of getting Covid-10, named for all the extra pounds gained from boredom eating.
And, of course, there is a new way of saying goodbye - stay safe.