Oxford English Dictionary adds four Bermudian words
Britain’s authority on the English language has added four Bermudian words to its catalogue.
The Oxford English Dictionary announced the addition of the words “bimpert”, “hamma” and “shadeesh”, as well as the phrase “to cut someone’s tail”, in an update this month.
The additions came out of the OED’s partnership with the Bermuda Spelling Bee.
The dictionary’s website wrote: “As official partner dictionary of the Bee, the OED is supporting the production of the wordlist for the annual competition, which will also include expressions that are distinctively Bermudian, like some of the new words in this current update.”
The Bermudianisms were added alongside inclusions and revisions from Caribbean English, East African English, New Zealand English and Welsh English.
The words “bimpert” and “shadeesh” highlighted contemporary Bermudian slang, with some of their earliest recordings in the OED coming this century from the internet.
Meanwhile, “to cut someone’s tail” and “shadeesh” reflected Bermuda’s connection to other cultures, such as Azorean Portuguese and the Caribbean.
New entries, according to the Oxford English Dictionary:
Bimpert, n. a stupid or foolish person. Ex: “Real bimperts on these roads, today!” [Godbold, Travis. Bermuda Dreams. Independent, 2019.] Origin: c. 2009, etymology unknown
Hamma, n. 1) a friend; 2) a term of endearment. Example: “Hey, hamma. It’s a beautiful day.” [Fox, Vanessa. Bermuda. Arrow Books Ltd, 1994.] Origin: 1980, etymology unknown
Shadeesh, n. a spicy pork sausage originating from the Iberian Peninsula; chorizo. Example: “The only thing missing from the Hoppin’ John Stew is some chorizo (shadeesh) or bacon.” [@MizBurns. Twitter, September 5, 2010.] Origin: c. 2010, from Portuguese chouriço
To cut someone’s tail, v. (tr.) 1) to punish someone physically; 2) to beat someone up. Example: “She can cut your tail too.” [Barry, Angela. So Many Islands: Stories from the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Pacific, edited by Nicholas Laughlin, 1st edition, Telegram Books.] Origin: 1956, from Caribbean English
The OED first catalogued Bermudian English in its records in March 2021, when it added 15 words and phrases, including “Bermudian English” itself.
The dictionary was assisted by Rosemary Hall, a consultant linguist with the Bermuda Spelling Bee, who wrote her PhD thesis in 2018 on the Bermudian dialect.
The 2021 additions came with a pronunciation guide and included familiars such as aceboy and acegirl, chingas, Gombey, greeze and mice.
Retired Puisne Judge Norma Wade Miller, the chairwoman of the Bermuda Spelling Bee board of trustees, said: “We are absolutely thrilled.
“Five years after Bermuda made history in 2021 as the smallest national variety of English ever to be represented in the Oxford English Dictionary, we are honoured to see our language grow again.
“The addition of three more Bermudian English words, ‘bimpert’, ‘hamma’ and ‘shadeesh’, along with the Bermudian English phrase ‘to cut someone's tail’ in this latest OED update, is a direct result of the valuable new collaboration between the OED and Verbal Victory Bermuda Spelling Bee.”
She added: “It proves that what started in 2021 was not a one-time recognition, but the beginning of a living record. Bermudian English is not just slang. It is language, culture and history.”
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