Vocabulary.com Revises Africa-Related Terms Following Request by VANK
Vocabulary.com, a major English-language online vocabulary learning platform, has revised definitions of terms criticized as discriminatory toward Africa following a request from South Korea’s cyber diplomacy organization VANK, the group said Thursday.
According to VANK, Vocabulary.com officially updated its definitions of “Third World” and “Hottentot” on Wednesday after receiving feedback from the organization regarding the terms’ biased and discriminatory implications.
In an email sent to Vocabulary.com, VANK pointed out that the term “Third World,” which originated during the Cold War era, is now frequently used in ways that portray Africa and the Global South as backward or underdeveloped.
VANK also noted that “Hottentot” is a racially derogatory term historically used to refer to the Khoisan people of southern Africa, adding that it has already been classified as offensive by international human rights organizations and major dictionaries.
Following an internal review, Vocabulary.com revised the second definition of “Third World” to explicitly label it as “dated,” noting its origins in Cold War–era political classifications of developing and underdeveloped countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
In the case of “Hottentot,” the platform added a warning that the term is derogatory and rooted in colonial and racist perspectives toward the Khoisan people of southern Africa.
VANK described the revisions as a meaningful step toward correcting colonial-era perspectives and negative stereotypes about Africa embedded in overseas encyclopedias and language reference platforms.
Vocabulary.com is widely used by students, educators, and learners worldwide as a reference for English vocabulary and usage.
VANK has been conducting a broader campaign to identify and address racially biased or outdated terminology related to Africa across more than 20 major English-language encyclopedias and dictionaries, including Britannica, Wikipedia, Collins, and National Geographic, and has sent formal requests for corrections to their publishers.
The organization has previously led similar campaigns to correct inaccuracies related to Korean history and culture in international reference materials.
Notably, VANK played a role in having “Hanbok” formally registered in the Collins Dictionary as a traditional Korean garment, after providing English-language materials and engaging directly with the publisher amid debates over cultural attribution.
VANK said it plans to continue its efforts to promote fair and accurate global standards in reference materials, including language resources that shape international perceptions.
Source (Korean)
https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/001/0015528372?sid=104