Oxford English Dictionary includes 29 Nigerian words in its latest edition

30 January 2020 - 10:44
By Busang Senne
The words and expressions included in the dictionary join 57 Nigerian entries already present in the language bible.
Image: 123RF/plepraisaeng The words and expressions included in the dictionary join 57 Nigerian entries already present in the language bible.

The new edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) added 29 Nigerian words and phrases in recognition of how the African country has influenced the language.

According to CNN, the added expressions include words, coinages and colloquialisms from different Nigerian dialects, such as Hausa and Yoruba.

The inclusion of words/phrases such as “kannywood”, “ember months” and “to rub minds”, reflect the evolution of the English vocabulary and its dynamic uses around the world, according to OED world English editor Danica Salazar.