Stephen Colbert addends English language with “truthiness” and “wikiality”

By Stone Martindale Aug 27, 2006, 23:09 GMT

\'Truthiness\' and \'Wikiality\' -- two of the words popularized by Colbert on his TV show \'The Colbert Report\'-- were named on Sunday the top television buzzwords of the year. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

LOS ANGELES- "Truthiness" and "Wikiality" are just two of many words created by political satirist Stephen Colbert on his TV show "The Colbert Report".

They were named as the top television buzzwords of the year.

Global Language Monitor, the word-trend group has reported its annual survey of words from television that had an impact on the language, they also cited the words "Katrina," referring to continuing stories about the hurricane's destruction; "Katie," a reference to Katie Couric's move into the nightly news anchor role at CBS News; and "Dr. McDreamy," a nod to a character on the breakout hit "Grey's Anatomy."

Global Language Monitor defined "truthiness" as used by Colbert as meaning "truth unencumbered by the facts." "Wikiality," derived from the user-compiled Wikipedia information Web site, was defined as "reality as determined by majority vote," as when astronomers voted Pluto off their list of planets last week.

Global Language Monitor analyzes trends in word usage and word choices and their impact on the various aspects of culture.

Stephen’s new words of note are “crumbelievable” and the already established “lincolnish” and “falsiness.”

Currently on Stephen’s growing “dead to me” list:
•  New York Intellectuals
•  Men with Beards
•  California's 50th District
•  Heather Clark
•  Bow-tie Pasta
•  Owls
•  CNN en Espanol
•  Screw-Cap Wines
•  Cast of Friends