Bulletin No. 2, 2020

42 Chinese University Bulletin No.2, 2020 untact ( 언택트 ) , adj. The Korean-English word for contact- free, formed by the prefix ‘un-’ and the word ‘contact’. Invented in 2017 and now seen in all conceivable contexts, the term is becoming the new standard way of life in Korea. The pandemic has shown that any ‘ untact ’ future in South Korea will be about much more than online shopping. It will be about the equal distribution of information among all demographics, the ability to stay connected to health and social services, and the knowledge that ‘non-contact’ doesn’t mean leaving behind the vulnerable in society. 9 dugnad , n. The Norwegian word for the state where people come together and voluntarily contribute to a shared cause. Comes from the old Norse word for help and took on the current meaning in the 17 th century. Comparable to samfundssind , the Danish word for community spirit. To tackle the spread of the virus, Norway didn’t issue a strict lockdown like France, Spain or Italy. They called on a [national] dugnad instead. 10 caution fatigue , n. The state where one is tired of being cautious and becomes lax with taking precautions. Came into widespread use during the pandemic, though it had previously been used to describe Scottish homebuyers who were tired of refraining from making their purchases as Brexit impended. Positive vaccine news could also prove to those struggling with caution fatigue that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, as long as it’s described as a fresh source of motivation rather than an excuse to abandon other pandemic precautions. 11