Croats have new words: Vodomet, ubrusnik, trogodak

(Patria) - The 18th round of the competition for the best new Croatian word, for the Dr. Ivan Šreter Award traditionally awarded by the magazine "Jezik", has concluded.

113 people applied for the competition, 303 words were proposed, but none received enough votes from the Commission to be awarded, so this competition round remained without winners. However, some words were praised, writes HRT.

Regardless of the absence of an award, the Commission, consisting of Sanda Ham (president), Igor Čatić, Hrvoje Hitrec, Marko Kovačić, Nataša Bašić, Dubravka Smajić, Mile Mamić, and Ljubica Josić, highlighted several words that they considered good, especially since several words have been recurring for years.

"Primarily, there is the word utjecajnik, utjecatelj, utjecajac as a replacement for the foreign word influencer.

These words have been arriving for years, and the proposers are numerous. However, this word was first used in public by a member of the Commission, Prof. Čatić, so it is not eligible for the award solely for that reason," the Commission's statement emphasizes.

The Commission also singled out the word trogodak for hat trick/hattrick.

"It arrived in 2008, 2010, 2018, and 2023. There are four proposers - Mislav Kovačić, Josip Ledinšćak, Dominik Tomić, and Anđelko Priher.

The word vividly conveys the meaning of three goals (by the same player in the same match), and it is well-formed.

Along with trogodak, the word trogol was recorded in 2008. The second part of the compound word trogol, the word gol, originates from the English word goal, so trogodak is better formed," the Commission members point out.

Rabljaonica and rabljenarnica should replace second-hand shop.

"Both words are good replacements, and they arrived in previous years as well. Rabljaonica was sent to us in 2019 by Dražen Valentin, and rabljenarnica and rabljaonica by Božidar Špilek in 2022 and 2023, with the note that rabljaonica could colloquially be called rabljak.

For the same concept, the word robonošnjak was recorded in 2015, which is semantically transparent – worn goods," the statement notes.

Promopisac is another proposal by Božidar Špilek, for the English word copywriter.

"Since derivatives are also used, for example, the noun copywriting (the power of copywriting) and the adjective copywriterski (copywriterski svijet), it would be advisable to devise a word family for this word as well," the statement adds.

The opposite of zimogrozan (afraid of winter) could be Ante Šimac's new word - ljetogrozan (afraid of summer).

"Given the summer heat in recent years, the word is appropriate. The adjective ljetogrozan is a good companion to the German word declared the best a few years ago, Heißzeit (hot period), as the opposite of Eiszeit (ice age)," the Commission believes.

The new word ubrusnik (napkin holder) was sent by Dora Borić Radić, and ubrusnik is a holder for napkins or a napkin holder.

Along with Croatian water polo gold comes the word vodomet, as a proposal for a Croatian version of water polo.

"This word has arrived about ten times so far, and the first proposers in 2006 were Zoran Kunica and Nedjeljko Nedić. In 2023, along with vodomet, vodometaš (water polo player) was also proposed, and they were proposed by Boris Deverić," the statement indicates.

There is no shortage of good new words, the Commission believes, and adds that they are interesting and stimulating.

"Unfortunately, the 'Dr. Ivan Šreter' Foundation awards will not be presented (600 euros for the first prize, 400 for the second, and 200 for the third), and the formal public award ceremony in Lipik (or Pakrac) is also absent, but that does not mean they will not be awarded next year.

We invite readers to send us their words to [email protected], a maximum of five words, and priority is given to replacements for unnecessary Anglicisms and foreign words," the Commission for the selection of the best new Croatian word announced.