Germany’s word of the year: The end of Jamaica

Marriage for all, #MeToo and covfefe are also honored.

The Jamaica coalition was in Germany — and then, shockingly, it was off | John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images

German linguists have chosen Jamaika-Aus or “Jamaica’s end” as their word of the year following the collapse of coalition talks between the three political parties under the Jamaica arrangement.

The Society for German Language said Friday it had picked the word to describe the breakdown in talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens. Jamaika-Aus was chosen because it represents “the special difficulties” of coalition building that led to a “historic new situation” for Germany, the society said.

It also reflects a new meaning for the word Jamaica in the German language, it said. The colors of the CDU, the FDP and the Greens match those of the Jamaican flag.

Second on the list is Ehe für alle or “marriage for all,” in reference to Germany’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage in October. In third place is the hashtag #MeToo, used on social media to share stories of sexual harassment.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s famous “covfefe” tweet was also recognized as being influential for 2017, as was the phrases Diesel-Gipfel (Diesel Summit), following two major meetings this year between politicians and German carmakers.

The jury that picked Germany’s top 10 words said it selected those that best characterize the year, rather than those used most frequently.

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