The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has enriched its collection with 20 vibrant Nigerian words and expressions in its latest update, reflecting the growing global recognition of Nigeria’s unique cultural and linguistic influence.
New entries include household terms like japa, agbero, eba, 419, and abi, showcasing the creative interplay of Pidgin English, street slang, and cultural expressions. Remarkably, words like japa and jand are listed as both nouns and verbs, emphasizing their versatile usage. Pronunciation guides are also included to help non-Nigerians master these terms.
Kingsley Ugwuanyi, a Nigerian English consultant for OED, celebrated the milestone on LinkedIn, expressing pride in drafting the words and recording their pronunciations. He remarked, “This update beautifully reflects Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.”
Among the entries:
• Japa: “Emigration of Nigerians to other countries for better opportunities.”
• Agbero: “A tout working at car parks or bus stops.”
• 419: “Internet fraud involving advance fee scams.”
The full list of added words includes:
419, abi, adire, agbero, area boy, cross-carpet, cross-carpeting, eba, Edo, gele, jand, janded, japa, Kanuri, kobo, Naija, suya, yahoo, yahoo boy, and yarn dust.
This linguistic milestone celebrates Nigeria’s creativity and global influence, bringing its vibrant expressions to the world stage.
