space marshal noun [C]
UK /ˈspeɪs.mɑː.ʃᵊl/ US /ˈspeɪs.mɑːr.ʃᵊl/
someone whose job is to make sure people are obeying the rules of physical distancing in places such as shops, libraries etc.
They are set to reopen this weekend, although they will have changed, with space marshals at the door, librarians behind Perspex screens, limited capacities and quarantined books.
[inews.co.uk, 3 July 2020]
anti-masker noun [C]
UK /ˌæn.ti.ˈmæskəʳ/ US /ˌæn.t̬i.ˈmæskɚ/
someone who refuses to obey the rule that a mask must be worn in public places to help protect people from covid-19
On Australia’s morning television Today show, presenter Karl Stefanovic cut off an interview with an anti-masker after telling her she had “weird, wacko beliefs” and “I can’t listen to you anymore”. And that’s relatively tame, compared with what’s being said about the “covidiots” on social media.
[theconversation.com, 30 July 2020]
coronavision noun [U]
UK /kəˈrəʊ.nə.vɪʒ.ᵊn/ US /kəˈroʊ.nə.vɪʒ.ᵊn/
problems with eyesight that began or worsened during the period of the covid-19 pandemic and lockdown
Millions of Brits could be suffering from eye problems dubbed ‘coronavision’ after feeling that their sight deteriorated during lockdown, according to a study for the College of Optometrists. One in five adults in the country say they think their vision has become worse in the past four months, with one in three blaming it on too much screen time.
[www.college-optometrists.org, 10 July 2020]
Ridiculous. It’s like we don’t have enough words in English language. These are words/expressions invented for a temporary action, fact, etc. Another wave of words useless, from a tin language.
Hi Beatrice
Thanks for sharing your opinion with us. The idea behind our New Words posts is to share the words that people are using at the moment and to keep learners informed about words that they may see in the news or on social media. Many of these are, as you say, “words/expressions invented for a temporary action, fact, etc.” If people stop using these words and expressions after a short time, they will not enter the dictionary. You can read more about our New Words posts here: https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/about-new-words/
There is no doubt that the Covid-19 has brought huge influence and change to the world.And there are some new expressions,but I agree with these new expressions are only short -term.Even though the evens themselves will be recorded in history.
Temporary?
Is ‘space marshal’ an official role? Or can we use the word in a mocking way, for people who annoyingly busy themselves day to day by spying and telling on other people?
I think that is true !
We’ll never run out of words, and that’s the beauty of the English language. We can keep making new words over and over again despite them being “temporary”. I don’t think we use words made in the 1800s nor any archaic words these days: similarly, I won’t deny that we probably won’t be using these new words in the future, but they are here for now as a piece of history and a form of expression. The people in the Middle Ages made words to ease them in expressing themselves, and it helped classified things or actions they didn’t have names for. Once again, it’s the same scenario here: we could use words like “anti-masker” as it helps classifying people who do not wear masks during this pandemic, but these words could still be used in the future, or not at all, and that’s still okay!
We will never have enough words in the English language, merely saying “I have no words to express how I feel right now” says a lot, even if it is just an expression. Also, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you don’t have to use these words; however, others may find them pretty useful in their fields.
And not to mention, these words aren’t even “official”, and as mentioned, the point of this site is just to help people understand words and phrases being used in current news and updates on whatever is happening around them. Only time will tell if these words become official and “obsolete”. For now, English may be a “tin: language but I assure you, it’s far from rusting.
As a non-native English speaker(?) this is the first time I’ve read of space marshals but I’m glad I know what’s about. Pretty sure we’ll be hearing a lot about it, and other non-native students will be searching for its meaning, in the far future while describing this event in history.
ya
Hi all,
We have anti-masker amongst the new words, however I didn’t find ‘covidiot’ in here, but you did use the word in the explanation of the anti-masker.
Can we include ‘covidiot’ in the dictionary pls?
All the best
che me parece que no da estar inventando palabras cada dos por tres
George really wanted to go to the basketball game. He loved basketball, and played it at school. He needed money to buy the ticket. His parents told him he had to earn the money. George decided to make a lemonade stand. His parents agreed to help him. He had to buy all the supplies first. He got a table from home. He made signs. He bought lemons, sugar, water, and cups. He also got straws. He began to make the lemonade. He decided to sell each cup for 50 cents. Many people started coming. George raised a lot of money. He had enough to go see the basketball game.
These finest words do depict history and would guide the future generations in appreciating the the impact being created by Carona.Had our past generations cared to coin words referring to the pandemics etc of their times,we would now have been in a position to have some clues about the catastrophic proportions of Covid.So the attempts of our Cambridge lexicon to evolve the season – based words which can at times be used in regular usage also, merits appreciation and there can’t be any peremptory expressions from any quarter to underplay these,catchy ,unique and easy -to- pronounce words.SR SANKU Advocate,High Court Of Andhra Pradesh,Bharat