Some commonly used words in Kenya and around the world have been incorporated into the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.
Chang’aa, mabati, sub-county, bongo flava, gaslighting and scammer are among 2,000 new words that have been added to the English lexicon.
It’s common among Kenyans to ask for a “biting” at a restaurant, implying something to eat in small quantities, like a samosa or sausage. However, few know that the word did not originally exist as an acceptable English word bearing that meaning.
However, the word has now found its way into the reputed dictionary alongside popular terms like content creator, anti-vaccine, self-care, livestreamer and unmute. The word butchery, as used in the Kenyan sense, has also been included. The original meaning of the word is “cruel, violent and unnecessary killing” or “the work of preparing meat to be sold”.
From Tanzania, the term bongo flava, the popular Swahili music genre, has also been accepted in the dictionary due to its common usage within the East African region and globally, too.
The new edition of the dictionary also includes new words from other parts of the world that touch on artificial intelligence (AI), business and climate change.
For AI, the new words include “AI hallucination”, “AI prompt and “AI slop” while new words commonly used in business include omnichannel and seed funding.
Meanwhile, climate change terms that made it are eco-anxiety and net zero (environment).
Others are scammer (crime), man or woman of colour and neurodivergent (identity).
New words are incorporated through a careful and ongoing process of language research and evidence.
The dictionary was launched in Mombasa Wednesday during the 49th annual conference of the Kenya Senior Schools Heads Association (KESSHA).
“We recognise that strong English proficiency underpins success across the curriculum. This new edition is closely aligned to curriculum needs, enabling learners to think critically, express themselves clearly, and succeed in a rapidly changing world,” said Beatrice Karanja, the chief publishing officer at Oxford University Press, East Africa.
