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BUZZWORD COMPLIANT DICTIONARY
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nagflation: The incessant gloom-and-doom predictions from economic analysts who feel
compelled to issue updates even if nothing has changed.
Nominated by Nick Nielsen
nanomanagers: Bosses who have taken micromanaging to a whole
new level of nitpicking.
Nominated by Stephen Stone
NASCAR Dads: An over-simplified social and
political label that characterizes NASCAR racing fans as middle-to-lower
class, fundamentally conservative, rural white male Southerners who
drive trucks. In truth, most “NASCAR Dads” drive cars, have a little
more income than average and live all over the U.S. And 40% of them are
women who become “soccer moms” on Mondays.
NASCAR effect: A collection of award icons, banners, webrings and ads that clutter the bottom or
top of a Web page. Like a race car covered in ads, they blur and become meaningless.
Nominated by Jack Bilson
Napsterized:
You've been Napsterized when you get caught giving away another person's
products for free.
narcissurfing:
Googling yourself to see where, when, and how many times you name comes
up.
Nominated by Sue
Edworthy
negative growth: A positive spin on what is clearly negative but not growth. "After two
consecutive quarters of negative growth, the economy is in a recession."
Nominated by Vikas Tibrewala
negative
patient outcome: Medical-speak for "the patient
died." Often used by hospital bureaucrats and malpractice insurance companies
concerned that the loss of life may have been caused by "medical errors."
Nominated by Vaughan Tyson
negative profit: Buzz-speak used to mislead
listeners into believing something positive has happened. Pssst! It’s a
loss.
Nominated by
Matt Cahill
nerdistan: Any neighborhood or community where a disproportionate number of residents work
in high-tech industries. These residents also tend to have a disproportionate number of
electrical outlets and phone jacks in their homes, too.
Nominated by Steve Wilcox
nerdvana:
The ultimate state of complete geekiness. Geek heaven.
Mug, shirts
available
The New Black:
Any fashion, style or color that purports to be the
"next big thing."
Nominated by Joe Tangredi
new guy
gene: The internal mechanism that triggers extra politeness
in new employees until they're up-to-speed on office politics. Example: "The new guy
is so rude. He just busted in on my conversation without a second thought. He totally
lacks the new-guy gene.
Nominated by Trish Sammer and Rebecca Cavanaugh
new normalcy: A more academic-sounding way of saying "the way things are today" or
what’s normal now.
Nominated by L. David Kingsley
newpeat:
The showing of a previously aired TV episode that is now
considered "new" because it has additional scenes or is simply
two episodes edited into single longer episode. Example: "Did
you see the 'Heroes' newpeat last night?"
Nominated by Aunt Shecky
newszak: Newszak was coined a while back and generally described fluffy TV programs
designed to appear as news programming, frequently to promote a product. But now
"newszak" is where it really belongs -- in the elevator. Flat panel TV screens
-- carrying news, financial updates AND advertising -- are becoming fixtures in office
building elevators all over the country.
Nominated by Judi Darnbrough
NEVs: The baby brothers of SUVs. These "neighborhood electric vehicles" are
little more than souped-up golf carts that auto makers hope will help them meet
California's zero-emissions rule.
next-generation: The
promise that the next (software release, computer, car, etc.) will actually be what you
want.
NIH: Not
invented here. Frequently results in the discounting of a good
idea or product because "we" didn't think of it.
Nominated by Steve Woodsmall
NIMBY: A
person or stance that may agree there's a need for real estate development, just Not In My
Back Yard.
NINJA loans: The
lending industry's latest offering: No Income,
No Job or Assets required.
Nominated by Michael Donnelly
No Bling
Association:
What David Stern wants the NBA to become with his new dress code.
non-concur: Bureaucratic word choice that allows one to avoid uttering something as
definitive as "disagree." The ultimate obfuscation
-- "Yes, I do not
non-concur."
Nominated by George Wingard
non-verbal leakage:
Body language, particularly in business where you can tell more
about what the buyer's truly thinking by his or her body
language, not by what he or she is saying.
Nominated by Christine Walker
NOTE: An anti-development stance that takes NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) to the next
level -- Not Over There Either.
Now Data:
The most current info or up-to-the-minute data. "Bob, what's the Now
Data on the e-mail campaign's open rates?"
Nominated by
Robert Johnston
Now Economy:
Forget the New Economy, the Now Economy has taken its place. It's a case of one buzzword
bumping another buzzword out of the way. It's another swipe at business practices that
existed "before" the Internet so rudely interrupted them. The Now Economy is so
named to reflect that the customer now controls the marketplace, not business. And the
customer wants "it" now. And, as the theory goes, they can have it now because
of the Internet.
NSTR:
Nothing Significant To Report
Nominated by
Andrzej Olszewski
nutraceutical: A non-prescription nutritional supplement. Heavily promoted in late-night
commercials and e-mail spam. Nutraceuticals regularly promise to melt off the fat, rid you
of depression or add years to your life.
Nominated by Llew Keller
nutritionize,
nutritionalize: To turn something generally
considered bad for you into something healthy to eat. "We
nutritionalized it." Seen on the side
of a catering truck: "Nutritionized for kids."
Nominated by Kathy Willhoite
NYLON:
A New York-London OverNighter. Someone who lives in New York and
commutes regularly to London for business.
Nominated by
Julie Ditolla
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