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TAIPEI: After an extensive vote by the public, Taiwan has chosen the word "Hope" as the word of the year for 2009.
Among some 58,000 voters, more than 5,400 opted for the word "Pan" to reflect their hope and expectations.
Huang Ching-Wen, spokeswoman of the Hsu Yusn-chih Memorial Foundation, said: "'Pan' also means happiness, blessing and never to give up on your dreams. After this year's disturbance, we finally see hope."
A total of 30 Chinese characters were listed, and the public were invited to select one that best sums up the situation in Taiwan in 2009.
The next most popular word was "Jia" or "Jia" which is a homophone, meaning fraud as well as leave. People who voted for this word said it reflects no-pay leave amid the economic downturn, and the game-fixing scandal in the professional baseball league.
"Chaos" was the word of the year in 2008 as many remembered the transfer of political powers and former President Chen Shui-bian's corruption cases.
After suffering from the ravages of typhoon Morakot and the global financial turmoil in 2009, many Taiwanese are hoping to emerge from the confusion and embrace a brighter future.
Said one man in the street: "I hope to go back home soon and rebuild my house."
"I hope Taiwan's economy will pick up quickly. I hope everyone will have a better year in 2010," said another man in the street.
Four characters in this year's top-10 list were also chosen in 2008. They are "Tsang" for miserable; "Men" for bored; "Bian" for change and "Ai" for love.
The organisers said the survey showed that most of the Taiwanese people still seem exhausted from all of these political, economic and social tensions.
Taiwan's "word of the year" survey was first held in 2003 and the organisers are hoping that the event will attract more public participation and develop into an iconic event. - CNA/vm
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