I think it is generally accepted that lots of people who are as preoccupied with “new words”
as I am – for I am nothing less than a self-employed translator, and have been one for more
than a decade – will at some point in their life have come across at least one expression,
usually in a language other than their mother tongue, which almost belongs in a category of
its own because defining it is so difficult. (Note that I am not talking about simply learning
already existing words that you can find in a dictionary. Note also that while such terms may
well likely be, say, fashionable (slang or vulgar) or eponymous or portmanteaus, such
categories are common in all languages, and such expressions don’t count here for no reason
other than they may be fashionable, eponymous or portmanteaus.) I would say that that is
certainly likely when one has access to the Internet – I know I’ve read online articles of lists
of words in other languages which just cannot be translated into English that easily. Lots of
people have.
But, as far as “new words” (whatever that’s actually supposed to mean) is concerned, I took a
moment to think back over all the stuff I have written about language, linguistics and
translation in relation to my career as a language professional. The long articles with multiple
paragraphs (just like what you are reading now) can all be read on my website and my
business Facebook account, and my business Twitter account also offers many tweets on the
subjects for all to read (I should probably point out that Twitter doesn’t display tweets that
are more than two years old, and I have been posting business-related tweets for much longer;
although I do keep a record of ALL of them in my own private records).
Anyway, like I already mentioned, I am indeed a professional translator, and true to form I
am pretty much the most inclined person I know to look at language in general from any
angle (whether or not explored before) just to comment on it in some way, shape or form
which I’m fairly confident others will not find too boring (even if I do say so myself). That
said, I really should do more to share my writing online, along with all the “fun stuff”
(creative translation seemingly for art’s sake more than anything else, and more) that belongs
on my business Patreon account: https://www.patreon.com/posts/64435685 But for now, for
the sake of this article, here is some choice material I have written specifically about “new
words” in various respects, in my capacity as a professional translator:
*One of my latest tweets (dated 3 September 2022) brings up an idea I had about the word
“jamming” having a new (hypothetical) meaning. I have reproduced it here:
“Ever seen a change in language first-hand? "Dinky" is a popular acronym in British society
at large meaning "Double Income No Kids Yet." But these days how long before "jamming"
stops meaning something "cool" (i.e. music) and starts meaning "Just About Managing"? Just
a thought.”
*In this article I included a link to a list of words in foreign languages that just cannot be
translated easily or directly, with my own musings on each one.
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeTrailTranslator/posts/1643066785783386?__tn__=K-R

*This one is kind of an extension of the one above, only I list and discuss the meanings of
words that I personally made up!
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeTrailTranslator/posts/1682456008511130?__tn__=K-R
*The title of this article is “Expressions I really do wish I was taught at school.” In case it
doesn’t make it clear enough for you, such expressions are ones I have labelled as likely to
bring about a sudden flash of new, unexpected sagacity as soon as one comes to understand
the concept behind the substance of their mere existence – in an instant it makes them just a
little bit wiser in terms of their association with reality and its ways.
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeTrailTranslator/posts/2084844451605615?__tn__=K-R
And yes, I am comfortable declaring that there is “real educational value” in it all. Certainly
when you consider the expression PBA (one of the terms I made up that is discussed in the
second of the linked-to articles above). Take a moment to read what it means in that article if
you’re not familiar with it; now try to understand me when I make this point about people
who live in fear. Such people are often reluctant to show anger, due to dread, fear of ridicule
or just not believing they would be taken seriously – even when it would be healthy anger –
and when they DO express anger they are a lot more likely to lean on PBAs for the purpose
of getting their point across strongly enough compared to people who have more confidence
and/or self-respect. In this sense, I have come to learn – if not immediately after coming up
with the expression – that PBAs really do have the potential to be harmful; certainly in
connection with issues that trigger anger of all emotions.
But let me finish this article on the “New Content” bit, as hinted at in the title. It ends on a
rhetorical question. Recently while at work I observed myself as I put a pen on my desk, in a
place close to the edge of it which was also at the same horizontal point on it as the drinks
mat I have there. And I asked myself: what preposition should I use for where I placed this
pen, not in relation to the desk i.e. on it but in relation to the drinks mat? You can’t say that
the drinks mat was “above” it. “Next to” the drinks mat didn’t really feel right, either, as the
pen was adjacent to the drinks mat only “vertically”. And I didn’t really think saying the pen
was “in front of” the drinks mat was really suitable seeing as I was not actually placing the
pen in between myself and the drinks mat. I am proclaiming, now, that I would today say that
I placed the pen “fore of” the drinks mat, with an opposite preposition being “aft of” it (at
least in relation to the edge of the desk). Honestly, it is in my view that I invented this – but is
it in fact actually correct but highly recondite use of English?