Tech Shout!

The word ‘Wiki’ has finally made its way to the latest edition of the online Oxford Dictionary. It seems that this word seems to have gained popularity only after a slate of services released by Wikia became a global phenomenon. Wiki doesn’t even sound one bit English. You will now be surprised to know that the word “Wiki’ has its roots in the Pacific Island of Hawaii.

According to OED chief editor John Simpson, “Words are included in the dictionary on the basis of the documentary evidence that we have collected about them. A while ago, this evidence suggested that ‘wiki’ was starting to make a name for itself.”

“We tracked it for several years, researched its origins and finally decided that it was time to include it in the dictionary,” he added.

However, “Wiki Wiki”, which means “quick” in Hawaiian, has a different meaning altogether in its new host language. Wiki (in the Wikipedia sense) actually means a type of Web page designed so its contents can be edited by anyone who accesses it. The most famous example is the popular Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia.

The fact that the word acquired a new meaning can be attributed to the increased speed of commenting and editing on Internet Web sites, the OED’s principle editor of new words, Graeme Diamond said. “There was no delay in submitting a comment,” he said.

Diamond said the new Internet-age concept of “wiki” fits well with the 120-year-old dictionary’s own methods.

“Its long tradition of working on collaborative principles means it has welcomed the contribution of information and quotation evidence form the public over 150 years,” he said.