Word of the Year in Switzerland: its impact across the country and beyond

Words of the year represent key social developments reflected in society’s discourse. The methods used to determine the words of the year and the effects of their selection differ from country to country. This article first presents the process by which the words of the year are selected in Switzerland, a country with four official national languages. It then discusses the unique features of the vote in each Swiss national language and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the voting process. Finally, the article explains how the chosen words influence public discourse and society within the language regions – and beyond.