It’s not officially out ‘til next week, but the sixth edition of the Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary is already making headlines – for changing the meaning of the word ‘bogan’.
Previously, the iconic slang term was defined as “a person who is regarded as being uncultured and unsophisticated, especially such a person from a low socio-economic or poorly educated background”.
Now it’s just “an uncultured and unsophisticated person; a boorish and uncouth person” – a reference to the number of “cashed-up” bogans now walking the streets (Mark Latham, we’re looking at you).
But it’s not the only definition to receive a tweak. More than 3,000 existing words have been updated including ‘Generation X’ and ‘internet’, while another 2,000 new words have been added to the lexicon including a few you may not be familiar with:
- Anzackery: The promotion of the Anzac legend in ways that are perceived to be excessive or misguided.
- Hacktivist: A person who gains unauthorised access to computer files or networks in order to further social or political ends.
- Insta: To spend time using the social networking website Instagram. 2 to post (an image etc.) on Instagram.
- Kangatarian: A person with a largely vegetarian diet who includes kangaroo meat as an environmentally-friendly source of protein.
- First World problem: A relatively trivial or minor problem or frustration (implying a contrast with serious problems such as those that may be experienced in the developing world).
- Humblebrag: An ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.
- Whatevs: Whatever.
Whatevs.
