More than just a dictionary, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a language research project which is constantly evolving through its expansion of the English language. It recognizes that the sources of the language have diversified to include countries beyond the West. This is why it has been continuously adopting words from localized versions of English, like Filipino-English.
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It was actually way back in 1884 that the first Filipino word, abaca, was added to the OED. Since then there has been more than 200 words added to the OED from the Filipino vocabulary. Just last June 14, 2019 the Philippine Embassy in London celebrated this inclusion, as well as the new additions to the OED.
Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo had this to say on the inclusions: “Filipinos have enriched the English vocabulary since the language was first introduced to the country on a wide scale at the turn of the 19th century. Since then, Filipinos have not only contributed new words but have also expanded the meanings of existing ones.”
These recent additions include loan words like kilig (exhilaration or elation caused by an exciting or romantic experience), bongga (extravagant; flamboyant), and adobo (a spicy stew). There are also Filipinized words, which are English words that gained a new cultural definition, such as gimmick (a night out), bold (pornography), and high blood (angry, agitated).
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Some words are classified as English but only used in a Filipino context. Some examples of this are kikay kit (a cosmetics case), trapo (traditional politician perceived as belonging to a conventional and corrupt ruling class), and OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker).
Dr. Danica Salazar, OED’s World English editor, promised they would persist in diversifying the English language: “The dictionary is committed to making space for words from the Philippines, as by doing so, we recognize how its Filipino speakers contribute to the richness and diversity of English.”
What other words do you think could be added to the Oxford Dictionary?Â
