TIME Word of the Year 2014 is…
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TIME has announced their Word of the Year and it’s one most of us have never heard before: Somnophiliac.
Definition of SOMNOPHILIA : som·no·phil·i·a adj \-ˈfil-ē-ˌə\ : Obsession with an unusually erotic interest in or stimulation by a sleeping or unconscious person. Sexual feelings or activities that involve sleeping or unconscious bodies. First Known Use: 1894
Unless you study serial killers for fun or are a criminal psychologist, Somnophila is not a familiar word. Recent years have brought us many innovative new words such as selfie and twerk, but in December 2014 Somnophiliac put them all to shame.
The word first started trending in connection with recent allegations against Bill Cosby, but blew up on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram when Jake Gyllenhaal and Christopher Nolan announced at the 2014 SAG awards that Gyllenhaal would star in a new Christopher Nolan film Somnophiliac. The film is rumored to be a sequel to his 2002 Insomnia.
After the Nolan/Gyllenhall announcement in December, Somnophilia (the word) simply exploded and teens around the world popularized it by misusing somnophilia in ways parents just don’t understand.
TIME Gazette (Henderson NV) stated that they chose the word to appeal to younger readers. Their typical readership demographic is 65+. Word of the Year will be published on a full page display in the TV section next to the crossword puzzle in their December 26th issue.
