Oxford Languages announces its latest Oxford English Dictionary (OED) update.
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Oxford Languages, a division of Oxford University Press (OUP), has announced its latest update to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), featuring a new batch of South African English words. The additions, many of which are borrowings from Afrikaans and Zulu, showcase the evolving and rich nature of the English language across the globe.
"It has been a year or so since the last time we got in touch to let you know that a batch of South African English words had been added to the OED – it’s time for some more!" an announcement from Oxford Languages read.
The full list of new South African words added in this update includes:
Notable New Entries
Among the colloquial loan words from Afrikaans is bliksem, which originally means lightning but has multiple uses in South African English. The OED notes it is used as a colloquial noun for a despicable or contemptible person, or as a general term of abuse (earliest seen in English in 1953). It also functions as an interjection (1963) to express a range of emotions, from anger to surprise, and as a verb (1963) meaning "to assault a person or to strike something or someone with repeated blows".
Other Afrikaans loan words include broekies (1961), for women's or girls' underpants; entjie (1950), a cigarette or cigarette butt; and papgeld (1996), money for the maintenance of a child (literally 'money for porridge'). The term bosberaad (1988) refers to a conference or meeting held at a remote or rural venue to encourage collaborative or innovative discussion.
From the Zulu language, the additions include isicholo (1929), a tall, brimless hat worn by married Zulu women during ceremonies, and izinyoka (2004). Izinyoka is a collective name for people who steal electric cables or illegally obtain electricity by connecting cables to power lines. The new list also features chakalaka, a spicy relish or side dish typically made with tomatoes, onions, and beans. The OED noted that the origin of this word is "less clear," but it may be related to the Xhosa word -chaka, meaning to share food.
Oxford Languages extended
Special thanks to the OED’s consultants for lending their expertise to the dictionary’s World English coverage this quarter specifically Dr. Lisa Lim for Hong Kong and Singapore English, Prof. Raymond Hickey for Irish English, and Prof. Stefanie Pillai for Malaysian English.