Twitter voted top English word of 2009

Twitter, the micro-blogging site, has topped a list of the most popular words of the year, according to the Global Language Monitor.

The term, which is defined by the language organisation as "the ability to encapsulate human thought in 140 characters", beat off the likes of 'Obama' and 'H1N1' - the official name for swine flu.

The Global Language Monitor keeps a database recording how many times certain topics are mentioned in the media and on the internet.

The top phrase of 2009 was 'King of Pop' and the top name was Barack Obama, which only just beat Michael Jackson following the singer's death earlier this year.

The full list in each category, as well as last year's words, are on the Global Internet Monitor's site.

Meanwhile, the North East town of Darlington has announced its first 'Twitterer in residence' who will tweet on the social site about local events.

Mike McTimoney, tweeting as @TheDarloBard, is the first person in the UK to be given this job title. He will earn £140 a year – one pound for every character allowed in a Twitter status update.

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