The most satisfying word of the year

Sometimes I miss words from the past, those sturdy examples that I am sure cover the load. Vlegel for instance, or schavuit or belhamel. It insults someone in a much more civilized way, admit it. But I can also uncork the wine for a new word. This year, Van Dale has one on the nomination list for which I will pop the cork of the champagne.

On the list are the somewhat grumpy ‘blokkeerfries’, the cheeky ‘drankhangen’ and the peculiar ‘intimiteitscoördinator’ (go ahead and google it, there is no more embarrassing profession). I also had to chuckle at the ‘yogasnuiver’, doing yoga during the week and snorting from the bank card on Saturday. They exist, I might even know a few. But I want a standing ovation for the absolute best nomination: the balanstrutje. A balanstrutje is a career woman who is too busy balancing work and private life to break through to the top of the business world.

This word has emerged from two existing words, which work so ideally together that I become satisfied. From the diminutive trutje drips the sarcasm, from balance you already get it on your hips and the sound gives the whole exactly the flair it needs. Ba-lans-trut-je. I know a balanstrutje, what am I saying? I know balanstrutjes. The balanstrut also complains, about work, about home and about how unfair it is, that’s why she is a trutje. Not only for that reason, also because of the tense not-too-much-this-not-too-much-that, because otherwise…

The ba-lans-trut-je. I fear we will have to settle for the grumpy blokkeerfries as Word of the Year, but for me, balanstrutje is the only winner. Ba-lans-trut-je. Nice.