This year's most persistent new usage, at least in my corner of reality, is the sudden appearance of "gift", previously a noun, where I expect to see its verb version "give". I was unaware of it in normal speech until a few months ago, when I complimented a restaurant server on her pearl necklace and she replied, "Why thank you! My mother gifted it to me."

Why "gifted"? Why not "gave"?

A cursory prowl through Google results tells me that the form dates back to the 17th century, but I can honestly say that I have never heard anyone actually say it until this year. And suddenly it's all over advertising copy; it's as if "give" in all its tenses has left the building.

Colour me irked.