New words – 12 February 2018

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shoefie noun [C]
/ˈʃuː.fi/
a photo of one’s shoes, posted on a social media site

A shoefie—a selfie of your footwear—is the bread and butter of the fashion girl’s Instagram arsenal. After all, in the age of social media, does it even matter that you bought a killer pair of heels if nobody sees it on your grid?
[www.harpersbazaar.com.au, 11 August 2017]

plandid noun [C]
/ˈplæn.dɪd/
a photograph posted on a social media site that is designed to look as though the subject was unaware it was being taken

It’s unclear precisely who coined the term but a quick Instagram search will show you more than 500 plandids of people trying to nail that nonchalant look. You’ll see a stream of people looking oh-so-casually at the ground, or gazing into the horizon. Others will be mid-prance with a hand cocked to a jaunty angle. “Oh, I didn’t even realise you were taking a photo,” is the aesthetic.
[www.mashable.com, 1 August 2017]

bothie noun [C]
UK /ˈbəʊθ.i/ US /ˈboʊθ.i/
a split-screen image of two photos or videos taken using the front- and back-facing cameras of a phone at the same time

Allow me to introduce you to “the bothie.” It’s not a selfie, nor a normal photo … but a hybrid of the two. It’s a composite shot from both cameras on your phone, showing both you and whatever else is out there. It’s a bothie. Crazy idea? Maybe. And yet, if history is any indication, you’ll scoff at the bothie now and then while you’re not looking they will take over the world.
[www.wired.com, 16 August 2017]

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