Ungoogleability

The Atlantic 'sMegan Garber, perhaps somewhat overstating her case, describes it as "one of the best words that has ever graced this planet". And Swedish, at that. Ominously, it is also under attack from one of the world's largest tech companies demanding that it be suppressed, or at least curtailed, a sinister attempt to assert corporate ownership of a word.

The Language Council of Sweden (LCS), like the Academie Française, adjudicates on additions to the national lexicon, and has been pondering recognition of " ogooglebar ", translated as "ungoogleable", but defined controversially as "something that cannot be found on the web using a search engine". (Garber adds helpfully: "as used in English sentence 'I'm going on a date tonight, but he's totally ogooglebar ! What are the odds he's an axe murderer?'")

Enter Google. Although happy to have its brand join words like Hoover and Xerox to express the act of using its product, the company's lawyers have informed the LCS that it does not believe its trademark should be diluted – ogooglebar should not be used to refer to any unsuccessful search but only "something that cannot be found on the web using Google".

Unfortunately, instead of standing up to corporate bullying and boldy asserting the principle of the common ownership of language, the LCS has backed away from the row and simply dropped the word from its list of new additions to the language. A drawn battle. But it will not stop the use of this glorious word in its broadest sense. Garber suggests it should be adopted by the English language – but no more than a word can be suppressed, can it either become part of common usage by simple diktat.

Meanwhile the LCS has approved, among others, the following new words: deinkorexi, an eating disorder involving not eating but drinking alcohol instead; conversesjukan , a foot/posture condition brought on by wearing trendy trainers; and trädmord , tree murder (can also describe wasteful use of paper and packaging). Truly a magnificent language.