The Word of the Year 2024 Chosen as "Crowded Loneliness"

Through a vote conducted in collaboration between the Turkish Language Association (Türk Dil Kurumu) and Ankara University, the word of 2024 has been chosen as “kalabalık yalnızlık”.

According to an announcement from the Turkish Language Association, seven words and concepts, selected by an Evaluation Board composed of experts in the field, were submitted to a public vote on the Turkish Language Association’s website.

The terms deemed most significant in the public vote were “kalabalık yalnızlık”, “merhamet”, “yabancılaşma”, “algoritma”, “yozlaşma”, “yapay zeka” and “dijital yorgunluk”.

In the public vote, which attracted approximately one million participants, it was announced that “kalabalık yalnızlık” was selected as the word and concept of 2024.

The Evaluation Board commented on the concept of “kalabalık yalnızlık”: “In 2024, an increase has been observed in the number of studies demonstrating that people feel alone even amidst crowds. The terms ‘yalnızlık’—expressing singularity—and ‘kalabalık’—expressing plurality—can coexist simultaneously. This condition, explainable through sociological, psychological and communicative factors, manifests itself in individuals’ daily lives and the ways they form relationships.”

^{"Kalabalık yalnızlık" kavramını temsil eden bir görsel. (Yapay zeka ile hazırlanmıştır.)}

The announcement noted that research indicates rising use of social media and digital technologies has led people to begin feeling more alone. It further stated:

“The growing importance placed on follower and like counts on social media creates a so-called ‘kalabalık’ environment that may appear to offer a solution to loneliness, yet ultimately intensifies the feeling of isolation. The digital world’s emphasis on transient relationships deepens the sense of loneliness. On the other hand, the accelerating pace of life and increasing human mobility weaken social bonds, leaving individuals struggling to form meaningful connections and thus feeling alone even in crowds. A large number of people surrounding an individual does not mean they do not feel alone. The presence of family members in the same home, or sitting at the same dining table, does not prevent someone from feeling lonely.”