An Ecotopian Lexicon offers new vocabulary for climate crisis response

Edited by Matthew Schneider-Mayerson and Brent Ryan Bellamy, An Ecotopian Lexicon presents innovative terminology related to climate change. Released in softcover by the University of Minnesota Press for $24.95, it was reviewed by Adeline Chia in the Spring 2020 edition of ArtReview Asia. This lexicon blends concepts from science fiction with terms from diverse languages and includes contributions from scholars in English literature, anthropology, and environmental studies. It challenges doom-laden narratives by fostering creativity. Notable terms include 'blockadia' from Naomi Klein's 2014 work, 'pa theuan' from Thai, and 'sila' from Inuit. Unique entries like '~*~' from dolphinese and 'misneach' from Irish evoke strong emotions, suggesting that the climate crisis has sparked collective action.