'Boda boda' has officially become an English word listed in the 9th Edition of the Oxford Dictionary and has been defined as: "a type of bicycle or motorcycle with space for a passenger or for carrying good, often used as a taxi".
Oxford English Dictionaries (OED) explains that words included in their various dictionaries describe the way a word is used rather than saying how it should be used.
The first step in the process entails collecting data that indicates how words are used in various contexts such as specialist magazines, newspapers and even social media.
This involves keeping track of the word as it is used in the specific language community and collecting the data to form what lexicographers call a 'corpus'.
In the second step, Oxford has a dedicated team of readers in their Reading Programme – established in 1857 – who collect excerpts with quotations of how the word is used for editors to assess.
If the word passes the two checks then it is well on its way to becoming an entry in the OED.
The third way that words make it into the dictionary is through appeals and submissions sent in by dictionary users.
For instance, there is a current petition for the word 'djent' to be added into the OED, the word describes a certain tone played on the guitar.
Other Kenyan words that feature in various versions of the dictionary include "safari", "Kenya" and "matata".
Read More: 'Boda Boda' Included in Latest Oxford Dictionary
