Suki, KKB, kikay, and other Filipino words now in Oxford dictionary

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Suki, KKB, kikay, and other Filipino words now in Oxford dictionary
At least 28 words commonly used by Filipinos are in Oxford Dictionary's 500 new entries for 2015

MANILA, Philippines – Now the rest of the world will know what Filipinos mean when we say KKB.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) announced on Thursday, June 25, about 500 new word entries for 2015, including at least 28 words that are commonly used by Filipinos.

“The latest OED update sees the inclusion of a number of words from Philippine English as part of our ongoing commitment to recording words from all varieties of English, throughout the world,” editors of the OED said in a statement.

Some of these Philippine English words are:

  • gimmick – a night out with friends
  • estafa – fraud
  • carnap – to steal a car
  • presidentiable – a person who is a likely or confirmed candidate for president
  • batchmate – a member of the same graduation class as another

“Evidence for these usages is not just found in the Philippines but also in parts of the United States that have large Filipino populations,” the editors wrote.

Other new entries are distinctly Filipino, like “KKB” or “kanya-kanyang bayad” (each one pays their own) – an expression that dates back to 1987, and is used to indicate that the cost of a meal will be shared among the group.

One of the oldest words in the list is “barangay,” first recorded in 1840 and refers to a village in the Philippines.

Even names of Filipino food made it to the list: halo-halo, buko, pulutan, pan de sal, and sinigang.

Here is a list of other words that have been included in the dictionary:

  • balikbayan – a Filipino returning or visiting from overseas
  • baon – food or money one brings to school or work
  • barkada – friends you hang out with- 
  • barong tagalog – literally, cloths of the Tagalog people; formal polo made of native materials
  • barong – shortened “barong tagalog”
  • baro’t saya – literally, blouse and skirt; formal attire of Filipinas
  • carnapper – somebody who steals cars
  • carnapping – the act of stealing cars
  • despedida – dinner or gathering to send off somebody who is leaving
  • dirty kitchen -the part of the kitchen where all the food preparations are done)
  • kikay – vain girl
  • kuya – older brother; term of respect for older men
  • mabuhay – long live
  • pasalubong – souvenirs brought home from another country or place
  • sari-sari store – native convenience store
  • suki – regular customer or seller

How well do you think can other English language users adapt to these words from Filipinos? Are there other Philippine English words that you think should be included in the dictionary? Tell us in the comments section below. – Jee Y. Geronimo/Rappler

Dictionary image via ShutterStock

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