Alex Trelinski
THE SPANISH versions of big data, decarbonise, video arbitration(VAR) and supervillain are some of the words that have been added to the latest edition of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) dictionary- the institution revealed on Tuesday.
The dictionary is consulted by millions of Spanish speakers and includes 4,381 updates, including new words and updates of meanings, explained the RAE head, Santiago Muñoz Machado.
“It also incorporates for the first time in its history the possibility of consulting synonyms and antonyms in its online edition,” said Muñoz Machado.
As has become customary in recent years, the dictionary has embraced terms related to new technologies and social networks, such as big data, pixelating, sexting, or banner(as in online advertising).
The RAE incorporates words thanks to ‘the careful observation of our environment’ and the big issues of today, according to Elena Zamora, director of the Institute of Lexicography.
So pre-climate change words such as decarbonise or plug-in are now mentioned in reference to electric cars.
It also adds words from the world of cinema and television, such as supervillain, sound engineer or kryptonite(a person or thing that neutralises or diminishes the main qualities of something or someone).
Balconing is in there as the Spanish term for falling after trying to leap from one balcony to another, or diving from a balcony into a swimming pool.
As the updates are worked on with Latin American language academies, common words in those countries are included, such as perreo, the dance done to the rhythm of reggaeton; swing criollo, a popular Costa Rican dance; or ojota, as a summer shoe is known in Argentina and Uruguay.
Other terms that are added are homelessness, chunda-chunda – as loud and repetitive music is known in Spain -, posturing, or video refereeing and its synonym, VAR.
