Oxford Dictionaries declared “vape” as 2014’s “Word of the Year.” Their editors said use of the word more than doubled in 2014 compared to previous years.
The word vape means to inhale and exhale the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette, which is also known as a vape.
The word can be used as a noun or a verb, according to Irina Ustinova, associate professor of linguistics at Southeast Missouri State University.
She said culture greatly influences what words are included in a language and how they are used. In her opinion, vaping has become more culturally accepted. She said members of the younger generation are experimenting and vaping more often, which leads to an increased usage of the terminology.
“Language reflects the changes in popular culture,” Ustinova said.
She explained there is a close connection between culture and language. Ustinova said English is constantly evolving because it is a global language.
“Language definitely changes,” she said. “Old words die in the language. New words come into the language.”
According to her, it develops over time.
“What was old English is not modern English, at all,” she said. “Not only from the point of vocabulary, but grammar, metalogical systems and pronunciation. It is a different language.”
Ustinova said as the vape culture grows, the language associated with vaping could grow. She said more words may be derived from the root word to form adjectives, adverbs and nouns that reflect the concept.