Mm-hmm

... and if we...

But, but at the same time we also get a lot of, e- even more often than not, if we get positive feedback because I think, uh, people appreciate it when the words that they actually use, you know, the, the words that characterize their, uh, their culture and their worldview are represented in a, in a dictionary of English.

So that's why we ha- just have to make sure that we recognize this history, and that we are respectful in our, um, coverage of these words.

So we, we now have the means to be able to consult evidence and to consult the people who actually use these words.

So we have to make sure that although the origins of the word are colonial, our c- is, we have to make sure that our current coverage is not, you know? We have to make sure that, uh, the people who are actually use these words and to whose culture and communities these words belong are the ones being consulted in what we put in the dictionary, and that their, their, their points of views are, are being reflected there.

So I mean, uh, uh, what, what sets the OED apart from other dictionaries is that we include what we call quote, quotations.

Are there other groups of people's indigenous words also making it into the English dictionary? I would argue quite likely.

Why do we have it?

So yes, the World English Program is the OED's, um, program dedicated to the documentation of different varieties of English spoken in different parts of the world, 'cause as we all know, English has now become a global language, and many different communities, um, across the globe have created, like, their own characteristic lexicon that we all, um, that we, that in the World English Program we document in, in the dictionary.

And, um, we update every major variety of, of English that we cover in the dictionary, so whether by adding new words or revising existing entries, um, or, or both.

So for example, in March, we update our Southeast Asian varieties.

In June, we update Australian and Canadian English.

And in, in December, we do a Nigerian English update, and so on.

So this is to ensure that we keep up with the lexical development of these different varieties in the same way that we That we document the development of English as a whole-

Mm.

Danica Salazar is executive editor at the OED's World Englishes programme.

In the Oxford English Dictionary, we have a program that looks specifically at words that come from different varieties of English spoken all over the world.

So those varieties are known collectively as world Englishes.

So as you know, the English language has now become a global language that's spoken in different countries all across the globe.

And each one of these varieties have their own characteristic vocabulary, their characteristic accents.

So in the OED, we have a programme in which we ensure that this diversity of English is represented in the dictionary.

Now in a minute, tell us about that.

Yes.

How do you actually define yeah, nah?

Yeah, nah.

The question is if yeah, nah, it means yes or no.

The answer is it can be both.

So that's what...

That's what's very interesting about that word, that it's highly contextual.

So their meaning really depends on the situation and what the person wants to say at the time.

So then the debate of whether to put very regional words in, like Australian slang, how do you weigh up, well, nobody else is going to get this apart from some Aussies?

How do you actually define yeah, nah?

Oh.

The question is if Yena means yes or no.

The answer is it can be both.

So that's what's very interesting about that word.

It's highly contextual.

So the meaning really depends on the situation and what the person wants to say at the time.

So then the debate of whether to put very regional words in, like Australian slang, how do you weigh up, well, nobody else is going to get this apart from some Aussies?