The popular food staple known as Eba (swallow) made with fried cassava called garri and hot boiling water to form a smooth stiff and popularly eaten in Nigeria and by Nigerians all over the world has been included in the Oxford English Dictionary lexicon alongside other Nigerian words and expression.
Penpushing reports that a Nigerian English consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, Kingsley Ugwuanyi, announced the update on LinkedIn on Tuesday, and expressed excitement over his role in drafting the words and recording their pronunciations.
“I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Oxford Languages | OUP 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’,Ugwuanyi wrote.
“This time, I not only drafted most of the words but also had the incredible opportunity to provide their hashtag#pronunciations! So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my hashtag#voice bringing these words to life’, he added
Penpushing further reports that the other newly added entries include popular terms like “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi,” among others, while these words, deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Nigerians, highlight the influence of Pidgin English, street slang, and cultural expressions that are increasingly gaining global recognition.
The report has it that, notably, some of the words, such as “japa” and “jand,” appear as both nouns and verbs in the dictionary, while pronunciation guides have also been provided to assist non-Nigerians in accurately articulating the words.
Penpushing also reports that the entries, have it that “japa” is defined as “the emigration of Nigerians to other countries (esp. those in Europe or North America) in search of further education, employment, or economic opportunity, while “Agbero” is described as “a person (usually a boy or young man) who works as a tout, typically at car parks and bus stops, collecting money from passengers and drivers, and ushering passengers onto vehicles. ”
The term “419,” widely known in Nigeria, is defined as, “Fraud (now usually perpetrated on the internet) involving requests for advance payment in return for a substantial share of a large amount of money, which ultimately is never given. Frequently as a modifier, as in 419 email, 419 scam, etc. Cf. yahoo n.2”
Penpushing reports that the complete list of Nigerian words added to the OED: 419, abi, adire, agbero, area boy, cross-carpet, cross-carpeting, eba, Edo, gele, jand (noun, verb), janded (adjective), Japa (noun, verb),Kanuri, Kobo, Naija, suya, Yahoo, yahoo boy, Yarn Dust
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