Africa-Press – Kenya. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal way of life, and while at it, enabled Kenyans to acquire new vocabulary to describe new things and scenarios.
Kenyans came face to face with the unfettered power of the State to confine a group of individuals within a specific location for months, but this did not seem to hinder their creativity when it came to developing and learning new vocabularies.
Here are some of the words and terms Kenyans learned in 2020, and soon became a common way of expression.
1. Barakoa
Before the pandemic, facemasks (known in Swahili as Barakoa) had been a reserve for hospital wards and scary movies.
When the pandemic hit, however, it became mandatory to wear a facemask in public as Covid-19 containment measure.
Today, word barakoa is no longer foreign to Kenyans.
2. Quarantine
Quarantine was not at all a common word in Kenya – until Covid-19 happened. Before the pandemic, very few circumstances would warrant one to be put on quarantine or rather isolation, which probably explains why the word was not that common.
The pandemic, however, came with the mandatory 14 isolation period – which was standard practice across the world. The word quickly became the common currency of trade among Kenyans as many suspected cases were put on quarantine.
3. Sanitiser
Sanitize. That was and still remains the message along with social distance. Before Covid-19 happened in March. Sanitizers were considered a product of the rich, but not anymore.
In March, when the pandemic struck, came the safety rules which included a regular use of sanitizer. At some point, all buildings and institutions were expected to have sanitizer by the doorside.
Sanitizers have not only become essential parts of the furniture, but of our day to day vocabulary.
4. Curfew
This is probably one of the most used word in 2020. Kenyans – a majority – were able to experience the full force of a curfew. It had never occurred to Kenyans that a situation would arise that would force the whole country to come to a stand still. It is not uncommon to walk around and hear Kenyans – including children – talking about curfew hours.
President Uhuru Kenyatta instituted curfew measures to curb the spread of the virus across the country, something that has become part of our lives. Many, however, dread curfew, and have been fighting tooth and nail to have it lifted. Meanwhile, the word ‘curfew’ will remain with us for a very long time.
