fauxpology

Sometimes you come across a new word that might be a useful addition to the lexicon, and not just a verbal fashion, a thing of the moment. It seems to me that fauxpology is one these much needed additions to designate an apology that is made, often under duress, but which is not an expression of any real contrition. These turn up routinely in sport, politics and the media. A classic example is the apology that Alan Jones made to the CEO of the Opera House after interviewing her in what many people thought was a rather distressing fashion when she objected to the way in which The Everest horserace was to be advertised on the Opera House sails.

 It is much neater than the rather clumsy phrase sorry, not sorry which attempts to do the same thing, and it follows in the footsteps of other faux compounds such as fauxmance, a sham romance fabricated to get publicity, and fauxtography, a manipulated photograph designed to give a false view of events.

 This particular compound, fauxpology, has been around for a few years now but none of the dictionaries seem to have caught up with it.  I have just been introduced to it myself so I am a little bit behind the times. I like it because I can still see the elements of faux and apology in the compound but they have blended smoothly to make a very sustainable word.

With the sudden surge in the currency of fake compounds, we can probably expect a similar rise in faux compounds. 

ZG: 7

In a world where everything is fake or dark, faux is a fitting companion word so I give it a high score. It just doesn’t seem to have the frequency of use that it deserves. Yet.