One of South Africa’s favourite words, ‘Beer boep’ has officially been added to the Oxford English Dictionary!
Global (20 September 2024) — The Oxford English Dictionary is enjoying beer-soaked updates to its latest edition just in time for Oktoberfest (AKA, the most important date on any beer lover’s calendar).
Although the word beer has been around for as long as the amber beverage has (appearing in lots of Old English sources), it’s been adapted to fill pints of different experiences and descriptions.
Particularly for former British colonies, including New Zealand, Australia, and our own South Africa, beer is quite the celebrity beverage across social and cultural occasions. So, it’s no surprise that the word has transformed into everything from an activity like ‘beer-up’, all the way to the noun, ’beer hound’ (someone who drinks beer a little too enthusiastically, a little too often). A famous South African term has been added to the updated list—‘beer boep’!
The official definition per the Oxford Dictionary describes ‘beer boep’ as a noun that’s often depreciative It’s defined as: A protuberant belly or paunch [especially] on a man, attributed to beer consumption.”
While most South Africans just say boep (or if you’re in my father’s darts club, ‘boepies’), it’s exciting to see one of our country’s favourite words claim a space in the dictionary and potentially travel across the world because ‘beer belly’ simply doesn’t have the same zest.
Other freshly added official beer-related words include ‘beeriness’, having a ‘beer coat’ or ‘beer blanket’ (feeling somewhat immune to the cold thanks to the alcohol) and even ‘beer off’ which, to the disappointment of many, does not describe duel by beer but rather a name for parts of England where alcohol is sold for consumption off the premises.
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