The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added 20 Nigerian words and expressions to its latest update, further cementing the global influence of Nigerian English and Pidgin.
The newly included entries, such as Japa, 419, abi, agbero, area boy, yahoo boy, and suya, reflect the vibrant cultural, linguistic, and social landscape of Nigeria.
The update also highlights the increasing popularity of Pidgin English and its contribution to the evolution of the English language globally.
Some of the words serve multiple grammatical purposes, such as Japa, which means “to flee or escape,” listed as both a noun and a verb.
Similarly, Jand, a colloquial term for the United Kingdom, is also featured as a noun and verb. To assist non-Nigerian speakers, the OED has included pronunciations for each entry.
The full list of the newly added words includes:
- 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
