What do ‘langer’, ‘adultescent’, ‘kaylied’ and ‘bouncebackability’ have in common?
They are all new words that appear in the latest Collins English Dictionary.

New words
Today’s youth scene has witnessed the invention of a whole subculture of language that is so prevalent it has entered the dictionary. Among the new words is the ubiquitous ‘chav’. A ‘chavette’ is the female equivalent. The adjectives ‘chavish’ and ‘chavtastic’ are used to describe something designed for or suitable for chavs.

UK regions tend to have their own variations of the word. In Northern Ireland the word ‘spide’ is used. In Scotland, the equivalent is ‘ned’. Wales tend to use ‘townie’.  Different counties also have their own versions. East Anglia use ‘varco’ and Liverpool use ‘scally’

Criticism
The entry of street language into the dictionary has not been without criticism. The word ‘ned’ was condemned by a member of the Scottish Socialist party as being ‘hurtful and disrespectful to young people’. As the word is used to describe a non-educated delinquent, it is ‘degrading and insulting’.

The dictionary’s editor would disagree. He comments, ‘traditionally it has been difficult for dictionary publishers to include a lot of regional dialects and vernacular language, simply because it doesn't appear in print very often’. It is great that people have taken possession of language and are ever more inventive about the way they use it.

Anti dictionary
The word on the street tends to be anti dictionary. ‘they shouldn’t put it in the dictionary, coz its street talk, us teens dont want adults an stuff speakin our stuff no way!!!’ Laura, Ipswich

‘i dont fink chav should be in da dictionary its a street name nd should onli be used by people dat no wot it means nd dont have to look it up in a dictionary to find out.’ Lee, Exeter

Nelly
June 2007

Trend UK -> UK Today -> Current page

A selection of new words
Adultescent - an adult still actively interested in youth culture
Band-aid baby – a child conceived to strengthen a faltering relationship
Bouncebackability - ability to recover after a setback, particularly in sport
Brand Nazi - a person who insists on buying one particular brand of clothing or other commodity
Chav - a young working class person who dresses in casual sports clothing
Drink dialling – the inadvisable practice of making a telephone call to someone while drunk, especially someone to whom one has romantic notions
Homeshoring – the practice of allowing employees to work at home thus saving money on office overheads
Kaylied – intoxicated, drunk
Langer – a fool, idiot
Liverpolitan – originating in Liverpool. An alternative to Liverpudlian but with more stylish upmarket connotations
Ned – Non-educated delinquent
Ossified – very drunk
Squeaky-bum time - the tense final stages of a league competition, especially from the point of view of the leaders
Tapping up - the illicit practice of attempting to recruit a player while he is still bound by contract to another team