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English today is not what it was yesterday, or what it will be tomorrow. The language changes fast and words fall in and fall out at an alarming pace. Second language English speakers, like Indians, give the language the added spice it needs. And Alison Waters, Publisher at OUP’s division of English Language Training (ELT) Dictionaries, says that new words are under consideration all the time.
For the next (eighth) edition of the OED, the dictionary is mulling over new, and popular, words like parkour (workouts which use obstacle courses), amped (excited, or full of nervous energy), realtone (customised phone ringtones), and credit crunch (a sudden lending shortage).
For the subcontinent, however, here’s the most interesting part – the hallowed pages of the eighth edition are also examining improvised English words from the region, like kitty party (a ladies’ party where members take turns footing the bill at every outing), prepone (to advance; the opposite of ‘postpone’), mixie (food mixer and blender) and jugaad (frugal innovation).
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