The Oxford English Dictionary has added other Swahili and Sheng words to its database recognising the spread of the East African language to other parts of the world.
According to the team at Oxford, the decision was made in appreciation of the role the Kiswahili language has played in enriching the communication experience across the world.
Sheng’ word panya route is the latest entrant to the English dictionary, a word locally used to refer to a small secret path that can often be used to avoid detection or for smuggling unlicensed goods.
‘’A panya route (1980) is a secret path or roundabout route, especially one used for smuggling. Originally coined in Sheng, the East African street language that mixes Swahili with English, this loan blend combines the Swahili word panya ‘mouse’ with the English word route,’’ the Oxford team said in a statement.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
Courtesy
The other word added to the dictionary is kitu kidogo which is locally used to mean a small bribe or token often given in exchange for a favour.
According to the Oxford team, the word was first used in English in 1993 and after considerations, the team decided to officially add it to the vocabulary.
‘’Kitu kidogo (first attested in English in 1993) is money offered or accepted as an inducement or bribe. In Swahili, kitu means ‘thing, item, or matter’, while kidogo is the prefixed form of dogo, ‘small, insignificant’.’’
The other words added include Ugandan famous rolex which is an omelette and vegetables wrapped in a chapati. The unusual name is a playful twist on ‘rolled eggs’.
The Oxford English Dictionary is regarded as the highest authority on the English language given its historical evolution it has undergone.
Other words that were added in July 2022 included mpango wa kando, chapo, uhuru, githeri, chang’aa, busaa, come-we-stay, buibui, sheng and isukuti, jiko, mandazi and mabati.
Others inlcuded; nyama choma, asante sana, collabo, come-we-stay, jembe, pressed, sambaza, sheng, tarmac and unprocedural.
According to the Oxford team, the inclusion of the Swahili words on its database is due to the fact that it is a language that is spoken by over 200 million people with a majority based in East Africa and other parts of the world.
Flags of East African Countries on display.
