We've been hearing the word quite a bit lately. We hear it from our political leaders and in everyday conversation. "Normalcy" is the word. But, is it a word? I had my doubts.
If you type "normalcy" into the Google search bar, chances are the word "normality" will pop up. It's "the condition of being normal; the state of being usual, typical or expected."
So, is "normalcy" a real word? Well, if you ask Google, the answer is 'yes'.
"Although detractors of the time tried to belittle the word "normalcy" as a neologism as well as a malapropism", Google tells us, "saying that it was poorly coined...there was a contemporaneous discussion and evidence that normalcy had been listed in dictionaries as far back as 1857."
So, there you go. I believe it's one of those either/or situations. Normality and/or normalcy are acceptable.
Now that we've solved that complication, I've got to learn more about the words neologism, malapropism and find the definition of contemporaneous.