The work of the namesakes of UWI’s Richard & Jeannette Allsopp Centre for Caribbean Lexicography has been incorporated into the newest updates in the ongoing editing of the third edition of the definitive dictionary of the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary.

As detailed in a recent blogpost on the OED website, over 120 Caribbean English words have been either added or updated as of September’s release. Dr. Jeannette Allsopp, the founder of the Allsopp Centre, has served as the Consultant on Caribbean English for years, and was deeply involved in the addition and revision process. Though these numbers represent only a small portion of the contents of the Allsopps’ Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, it is the largest step toward inclusion of our region’s vocabulary.
 
Among the most important new additions are the recognition of a large number of “Englishes” of the region: Antiguan English, Bahamian English, Barbadian English, Dominican English, Guyanese English, Jamaican English, and Trinidadian English. These entries demonstrate the relevance of these national varieties to the world of English speakers.
 
Notably, the updates include not only new words, phrases and meanings, but also new pronunciations. Caribbean words are accompanied by Caribbean pronunciations, in addition to those found outside the region as well.
 
See the linked article below to see the cultural breadth that these entries cover, and to view the entries free of charge before they return to their paywalled status:
 
https://public.oed.com/blog/a-carnival-of-words-caribbean-english/