The exclamatory word “aiyoh” and its variant “aiyah” have now been added to the Oxford English Dictionary’s latest edition.
“Aiyoh” which is a commonly used word in Tamil-speaking regions across Asia, connotes disappointment, lament, surprise, and irritation. It’s a lot like saying “Oh no!” or “Damnit!”.
For example – Aiyoh! I left my wallet at home.
The guy below does a pretty good job of explaining how and when “aiyoh” is used.
Though the word is most popularly used in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and Tamil-speaking parts of Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, the word itself actually originates from China.
Other words to make it into iconic dictionary’s the new edition include “YOLO” (You Only Live Once), “moobs” (man boobs), and “gender-fluid”.
Last year, the Oxford Dictionary was at the centre of controversy after declaring the ‘crying tears of joy’ emoji as their word of the year.
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