Japa, agbero, eba, 17 other Nigerian words added to Oxford Dictionary

On By Littum

The Oxford English Dictionary has expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions in its latest update.

The newly added entries include popular terms like “japa”, “agbero”, “eba”, “419” and “abi” among others.

These words, deeply rooted in the everyday life of Nigerians, highlight the influence of Pidgin English, street slang and cultural expressions that are increasingly gaining global recognition.

It is noteworthy that some of the words, such as “japa” and “jand”, appear as both nouns and verbs in the dictionary.

Pronunciation guides have also been provided to help non-Nigerians pronounce the words accurately.

A Nigerian English consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, Kingsley Ugwuanyi, announced the update on LinkedIn on Tuesday.

He expressed excitement about his role in drafting the words and recording their pronunciation.

Ugwuanyi wrote: “I am thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Oxford Languages ​​| OUP has officially released its latest updates, with a stunning collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.

“This time I not only worked out most of the words, but I also had the incredible opportunity to provide their hashtag#pronunciations! So when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciation, you’ll hear my hashtag#voice bringing these words to life.”

Among the entries, “japa” is defined as “emigration of Nigerians to other countries (especially those in Europe or North America) in search of further education, employment or economic opportunities.”

“Agbero” is described as “a person (usually a boy or young man) who works as a tout, typically at parking lots and bus stops, collecting money from passengers and drivers and ushering passengers into vehicles.”

The term “419”, commonly known in Nigeria, is defined as, “Fraud (now usually perpetrated on the Internet) involving requests for advance payment in return for a significant portion of a large sum of money which is ultimately never given. Often as a modifier , as in 419 e-mail, 419 scam, etc. Cf. yahoo n.2”

The other added words include abi, adire (batik), area boy (out), cross-blanket, cross-blanket, eba, Edo, gele (headgear), jand (noun, verb), janded (adverb), Kanuri, Kobo , Naija, suya, Yahoo, Yahoo boy and Yarn Dust.