The Dictionary Unit for South African English (DSAE) at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 recently launched the second edition of the Oxford South African Concise Dictionary at a cocktail function in UPB bookshop (soon to become Van Schaik’s), in Grahamstown.?
Speaking at the launch, Jill Wolvaardt, Director of the DSAE, explained that this was not just a South African dictionary. Thanks to Oxford’s expert research teams and their multi-million word electronic database of English, you can expect to find the most up to date record of current English “whether British or American or even Australian.” However, in ‘South Africanising’ the dictionary, they feel they’ve added value to this already authoritative reference work.
Examples of South African terminology are not just limited to the ubiquitous ‘braai’, ’shame’ and ‘larney’, but include a whole range of other vocabulary that differs from other English-speaking countries. For instance, we use burglar bars to guard our windows, farmers keep their animals in camps, many people live in informal settlements and townships, and people use zinc to roof their backyard shacks.
The dictionary further includes words that have been ‘borrowed’ from our indigenous languages and Afrikaans, such as bosberaad, indaba and lekgotla, and have become regularly used terms in our written and spoken environment. You will also find invaluable language assistance through the guide to good English and usage notes that help with confusing spelling and grammar points.
An important aspect of this new dictionary is the fact that it promotes inclusivity – it reflects English as we speak it in South Africa while still giving a view and understanding of the language as it is used elsewhere in the English-speaking world. This helps to give a ‘southern’ perspective rather than just projecting the sometimes alien-seeming culture of Britain and North America.
Present for the occasion were Dr Saleem Badat, Vice-Chancellor, Mr Phillip Louw, managing editor from Oxford 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 Press, staff of the DSAE and representatives of a number of 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 departments. The Dictionary Unit was ‘born’ at Rhodes 40 years ago and continues to have a good relationship with the 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 as an affiliated institute.
The new Oxford South African Concise Dictionary is retailing at R395 and seems set to both educate and entertain.