Africa-Press – Kenya. Nyama choma lovers have a reason to enjoy the Kenyan delicacy with an increased bravado after Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (OALD) recognised the word as an English term.
According the the dictionary, nyama choma, which is described as meat that is cooked over a fire, can now be used in formal English settings.
A report by Nation on Sunday, August 1, indicated that nyama choma was among 53 words from local Dialects that have been added to the Dictionary.
They include isikuti, kayamba, Maasai, majimbo and zeze.
Isikuti is a Luhya word that the OALD now describes as a quick dance with a lot of movement, accompanied by singing and the sound of drums.
Kayamba, on the other hand has been described as ‘a flat musical instrument that you shake to make a noise,’ while Maasai is now officially used in the English language to refer to ‘a member of an ethnic group living in Tanzania and Kenya.
Majimbo has been recognised as ‘a system of government in a country with several smaller states, each of which has some power,’ while Zeze, a Swahili word, now can be used in English to refer to ‘a musical instrument with one or two strings.’
Globally, OALD has expanded its vocabulary by over 2,000 words to include terms such as mansplaining. Mansplain now officially means ‘to explain something to a woman in a way that shows he thinks he knows and understands more than she does.’
Oxford University Press, East Africa regional director, John Mwazembam, noted that the new words were added to the dictionary in order to keep learners engaged.
“The two products have been revamped to ensure learners get the information they need with ease. The products will not only be tools to find meanings of words but also have additional language materials such as similes, phrases and other language techniques.
“They are timely because they are compatible with the new Competency Based Curriculum that is currently being rolled out in the country,” he explained.
Kamusi ya Kiswahili Sanifu, which is also published by Oxford University Press, also saw its vocabulary expand by over 1,000 words.
The first ever Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary was originally published in 1948.
