Broligarchy and Skibidi Added to Cambridge Dictionary
More than 6,000 words have been added to the Cambridge Dictionary, the primary resource for English-language learners. I wonder how students feel about the additions.
The ones that made headlines—delulu, tradwife, and most popular, skibidi—are funny sounding and/or have ambiguous meanings. No one seems able to define skibidi except to say it’s an “all-purpose,” “dump” word.
Dictionaries must evolve. As the Lexical Programme Manager of the Cambridge Dictionary Colin McIntosh says, "Internet culture is changing the English language, and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary.“ In addition, he explains, “It’s not every day you get to see words like ‘skibidi’ and ‘delulu’ make their way into the Cambridge Dictionary. We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power.”
A writer for The Times defends including slang words. Unlike the historian who criticizes dictionaries that have “surrendered to usage,” Oliver Kamm reminds us of a dictionary’s purpose:
Dictionaries record usage so we can learn the semantics, etymology and history of any given word. Sometimes these usages are slang, being the currency of particular demographic groups (especially but not only young people). I want to know what they mean; a dictionary that shuns them won’t help me.
In this fun video (start at 1:53), polyglot Arieh Smith (aka Xiaomanyc) delivers a speech entirely in “Gen Alpha” language. Students at Westtown High School in West Chester, Pennsylvania, go wild.