'Gigil' makes it to Oxford English Dictionary—here's what it means
What's the story
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added the word gigil to its lexicon.
The Tagalog word from the Philippines, pronounced ghee-gill, describes an overwhelming feeling that makes us clench our hands, grit our teeth, and pinch or squeeze something or someone we find adorable.
The addition is part of OED's effort to add words that don't have a direct English equivalent.
Language evolution
OED embraces untranslatable words
OED has also added alamak, an expression of surprise or outrage used in Singapore and Malaysia.
The addition is part of the dictionary's latest update, which aims to provide English speakers with specific words for unique experiences.
The OED stated, "Wouldn't it be useful for English speakers to have a specific word for sunlight dappling through leaves... Or a word for the action of sitting outside enjoying a beer?"
Culinary additions
New words reflect food culture
The latest update from OED also features new words from Singapore and Malaysia that embody the countries' culinary culture.
These include kaya toast, fish head curry, and steamboat.
The dictionary humorously noted that "All this talk of food might inspire one to get a takeaway, or to tapau, referring to another newly added term which means "to package, or wrap up food to take away."
Cultural representation
Philippine terms highlight local culture
The latest update from OED also features new words from the Philippines, including videoke and salakot.
Videoke is the national pastime of karaoke with a scoring system, while salakot is a wide-brimmed hat commonly worn by farmers.
Other Philippine additions include unique usages of existing English words such as "terror," which is sometimes used to refer to a strict or demanding teacher.
Comprehensive dictionary
OED's expanding lexicon
The OED, one of the most comprehensive dictionaries in the English-speaking world, contains over 600,000 words.
Each year, its editors review thousands of new word suggestions from various sources, including their own reading, crowdsourcing appeals, and language database analysis.
The latest update also included words and phrases from South Africa and Ireland.