New Chinese words in 2005 reveal hot topics across the Straits

The Language Information Sciences Research Centre (LISRC) of City University of Hong Kong has released a selected list of new words collected from Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, and Shanghai throughout 2005.  Following its precedent in 2004, and based on the large synchronous LIVAC Chinese language database (http://www.livac.org) developed by LISRC, these new words reveal once more hot topics in the individual cities and those shared among them. 

Here are five most popular words which have been found in the language database of all cities:

入常 (entering UN Security Council) – referring to Japan’s hard drive for a seat on the UN Security Council;

福娃 (Fuwa) – the five 2008 Beijing Olympic mascots, representing keen interest in the next Olympic;

歐憲 (EU Constitution) – the EU’s controversial march from an economic to a political body is also noted in the rest of the world;

豬鏈球菌病 (Streptococcus suis) – the pig pathogen that can affect humans and is almost as threatening as avian flu; and

連胡會 (Lien-Hu Meeting) – the historical meeting between Chinese Communist party chief Hu Jintao and KMT party chief Lian Chen in April this year.

Also found are popular new words in Hong Kong media: 策發會 (Commission on Strategic Development), 數獨 (the Sudoku game), 強政勵治 (strong governance), 折扣黨 (concession-offering taxi drivers) and 任三招 (three suggestions made by Joseph Yam). 

For further information, please visit http://www.rcl.cityu.edu.hk/celebrity/nw2005.php.