The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has officially included 22 Nigerian words in its latest update to showcase the vibrant creativity and cultural richness of Nigeria’s language.
The update was announced on LinkedIn by Dr Kingsley Ugwuanyi, World Englishes/Nigerian English Consultant to the OED who stated that the latest addition reflects the unique ways Nigerians express themselves and the growing influence of Nigerian English on global linguistics.
In his announcement, Dr Ugwuanyi shared his excitement saying, “The wait is over! I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has officially published its latest updates, featuring an amazing collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.”
He revealed that he played a significant role in drafting most of the words and providing their pronunciations, adding, “When you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my #voice bringing these words to life.”
The update includes words and expressions familiar to Nigerians, such as 419, Agbero, gele, Japa, eba, and Yahoo boy. These terms span diverse aspects of Nigerian life, from culture and food to slang and socio-political terminologies.
Here is the full list of the 22 additions to the OED:
- 419
- Abi
- Adire
- Agbero
- Area Boy
- Cross-carpet
- Cross-carpeting
- Eba
- Edo
- Gele
- Jand (noun)
- Jand (verb)
- Janded
- Japa (noun)
- Japa (verb)
- Kanuri
- Kobo
- Naija
- Suya
- Yahoo
- Yahoo Boy
- Yarn Dust
Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow Africa Update Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!