The Oxford English dictionary has added some Swahili and other trending words to the dictionary.
The words were added as both adjectives and verbs and the dictionary unlike other dictionaries is focusing on present day meanings.
The most recent additions from East Africa are:
Sheng: A street language blending Swahili with lexical and grammatical elements from English and other languages, originating as part of the youth subculture of Nairobi but now also used by people of varying ages and social classes in urban communities across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Asante sana: Used to express gratitude: “thank you very much”.
Collabo: Esp. of musicians: to collaborate; to work together with another or others, or on a project.
Jembe: A hand tool shaped like a hoe, with a blade set at an (acute) angle to the handle, used for digging, breaking up soil, removing weeds, etc.
Nyama Choma: roasted or grilled meat.
Pressed: That has been subjected to pressure; compacted, flattened.
Tarmac: To cover with tar macadam.
Unprocedural: That does not follow ordinary or official procedure; irregular, illegal.
Sambaza: To send (mobile phone credit) to someone. Hence more generally: to share or send (something).
The dictionary has included the meaning and the history of individual words traced through millions of quotations.
