湖边社New words – 21 August 2023
By Cambridge WordsIn New words
autobesity
noun [U]
UK /ˌɔː.təʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ US /ˌɑː.t̬oʊˈbiː.sə.t̬i/
the fact of cars being much bigger and heavier than they were in the past
Paris city hall is to impose higher parking fees on owners of SUVs in its battle to reduce pollution in the capital. A councillor from the party that proposed the increased charges said the aim was “to focus on an absurdity: autobesity … the inexorable growth in the weight and size of vehicles circulating in our cities, and particularly in Paris”. - [theguardian.com, 11 July 2023]
motonormativity
noun [U]
UK /ˌməʊ.təʊ.nɔː.mə.ˈtɪv.ə.ti/ US /ˌmoʊ.t̬oʊ.nɔːr.mə.ˈt̬ɪv.ə.t̬i /
a way of thinking that means people accept problems and risks related to travelling by car that they would not find acceptable in other aspects of their lives
British people appear to have an in-built acceptance of risks and harms from motor vehicles that they would not accept in other parts of life, with potentially widespread repercussions for how policy decisions are made. Such is the cultural ubiquity of these assumptions, described by the researchers as “motonormativity”, that politicians are less likely to try to tackle issues such as pollution from vehicles or poor driving, they warned. [modeshift.org.uk, 19 January 2023]
MaaS
noun [S]
/ˌem.eɪ.eɪˈes/
abbreviation for “mobility as a service”: a service that allows users to book and pay for all the different types of transport needed for a journey from a single platform such as an app.
Simply put, MaaS is the concept of on-demand transportation, where a single digital platform offers riders the most efficient, seamless connection from point A to point B possible. By combining and coordinating various modes of transportation services, riders can effortlessly reach their destination at any time of the day or night.
[ecolane.com, 17 January 2023]
