goblin mode

English

Alternative forms

• goblinmode

Etymology

From modern fantasy depictions of goblins as filthy, brutish, cave-dwelling creatures, a departure from older folkloric traditions introduced by J. R. R. Tolkien in The Hobbit (1937).^[1][2] The term is first attested on Twitter in 2009, but gained popularity in 2022.^[3]

Noun

goblin mode (uncountable)

1. (slang, neologism) The state of being unapologetically lethargic, slovenly, and prone to odd and self-indulgent behaviour.
   • 2019 September 20, dr. ovi (@jirtenergy), Twitter‎:

     Mac and cheese, vodka soda, and 90 Day Fiancé. Truly my PEAK of goblin mode

   • 2022 March 14, Kari Paul, “Slobbing out and giving up: why are so many people going ‘goblin mode’ ?”, in The Guardian:

     Although many people tweeting about goblin mode have characterized it as an almost spiritual-level embrace of our most debased tendencies, Marnell says there is “healthy goblin mode and destructive goblin mode”. For her, it embodies a certain air of harmless mischief.

   • 2022 March 14, Ben Cost, “Workers face ditching slobbish ‘goblin mode’ as they return to office”, in The New York Post:

     With employees prepping to flock back to the office amid easing COVID restrictions, many are faced with the same dilemma — how to switch off “goblin mode” now that they’re around other people.

   • [2022 December 8, Rachel Connolly, “Have some dignity, Oxford English Dictionary. No one says ‘goblin mode’”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     I have never once in my life heard someone say the phrase "goblin mode", or use it in a message. Not this year, not ever. Apparently, it originated in 2009... But if someone used it casually I'm not sure how I'd respond. Perhaps: why on earth are you talking like that?]

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:goblin mode.

Translations

state

Chinese: Mandarin: 擺爛模式／摆烂模式 (bǎilàn móshì) Czech: gobliní mód Dutch: please add this translation if you can Finnish: (very rare) peikkomoodi French: mode gobelin Italian: modalità goblin Portuguese: modo goblin, modo duende Russian: способ гоблина (sposob goblina) Spanish: modo goblin, modo duende Turkish: gulyabani gibi

References

1. Heather Schwedel (2022 March 23) “How Defamatory Is “Goblin Mode” to Real Goblins?”, in Slate‎.
2. Sam George (2022 April 1) “Goblin Mode: A Gothic Expert Explains the Trend’s Mythical Origins, and Why We Should All Go ‘Vampire Mode’ Instead”, in The Conversation‎.
3. Kari Paul (2022 March 14) “Slobbing Out and Giving Up: Why Are So Many People Going ‘Goblin Mode’”, in The Guardian‎, London.

Further reading

• Imogen James (2022 December 5) “Oxford Word of the Year 2022 Revealed as ‘Goblin Mode’”, in BBC News‎, retrieved December 5, 2022.