Word of the Day: Zeitgeist

By Daniel Scocco

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Zeitgeist is a German term that means “spirit of the time.” It is commonly used to illustrate the trends and characteristics of a period or generation. Google, for instance, releases monthly and annual reports with the most popular search queries, and they call those reports Google Zeitgeist.

“In France and Germany the cultural zeitgeist seems to be moving towards healthier lifestyles and away from alcohol consumption,” said Hanna Kivimaki, a senior consumer analyst at Mintel. (Telegraph.co.uk)

The era’s scribbling classes promptly realized that to praise the dead consort was to celebrate the living one, and duly spilled copious amounts of ink in lauding Marie Antoinette’s hyper-decorated, rococo femininity — so fundamental to the Eugénie persona — as a prime cultural virtue. Once again, the queen’s posthumous rehabilitation both reflected and shaped the zeitgeist. (NY Times)

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5 Responses to “Word of the Day: Zeitgeist”

  • Robbie

    The Chinese culture zeitgeist in these years was learning an foreign language,today it maybe learing 2 or even more languages…omg

  • Frank Hernandez

    Enjoying the Daily Writing Tips. However, some days there are diacritical marks all over the text making it hard to read. I’m returning today’s tip back to you so you’ll see what I’m talking about.

    Frank

  • Daniel Scocco

    Frank, in fact I am not sure what you talking about. Please send an example and I will take a look.

  • Dave Kjellquist

    Library Thing uses the term as a tab on their site for a statistical summary

  • zeitgeist

    interesting little blog

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