Six-Year-Old And His Dad Are Trying To Get The Word 'Levidrome' Into The Dictionary

A six-year-old boy is campaigning to get the word “levidrome” added into the Oxford English Dictionary

Levi Budd, from British Columbia in Canada, created the word “levidrome” after he came across a ‘stop’ sign while in the car and realised it would spell ‘pots’ backwards.

He had been taught about the word “palindromes” (which means: words that read the same forwards as they do backwards), but wondered what it was called when a word forms a different word when spelled backwards.

He and his dad researched and realised there was no official word for this in the English language, aside from people playfully using the word “semordnilap” (palindromes spelt backwards).

So the pair decided to come up with a completely new word for these reverse pairs: “levidrome”.

YouTube

Levi Budd, from British Columbia, Canada.

Levi and his dad filmed an explanation to their story on YouTube, and it has had nearly 20,000 views.

They were told that for a word to make it into the dictionary, it had to be actually used by people. So they started a campaign to get people on social media using the word.

Actor William Shatner got involved and showed that he had submitted a case to the Oxford English Dictionary for “levidrome” to be added.

Oxford Dictionaries responded to the tweets by explaining the process of adding a word to the dictionary - and it seems there’s a while to go yet.

Speaking on the video, a woman named Rebecca said: “Two weeks ago William Shatner tweeted to let us know about a new word.

“It was created by six-year-old Levi in Canada.”

Addressing Levi directly, she said: “So Levi, there are many new words each year, some very clever ones and some very useful ones. We don’t add all these words to our dictionary.

“Instead, we only add the ones that get used by a lot of people for a long time. Lots of people know your word and know what it means, which means levidrome is well on its way into our dictionary after just five weeks.”

Rebecca said the next thing they needed to see was people using the word levidrome, not just as part of the campaign.

“Then, all we do is wait and hope people keep using the word,” she added. “Levidrome is on our list of words to keep an eye on.”

She said in a year or so, if people are still using the words, the OED will look into getting the word added.

So if you want to do to help, just keep using the word.

‘Levidromes’:
Spot/Pots
Tip/Pit
Dog/God
Stressed/Desserts
Dam/Mad
Decaf/Faced
Deer/Reed
Tab/Bat

Before You Go

Yes, You CAN Make A Family Walk Fun

Don't say 'who wants to go for a walk?'(01 of08)

Reframe a walk so it's enticing and exciting using words like explore, play, adventure.Who wants to climb a castle or who wants to find some treasure or skim stones? (credit:Alexander Nicholson via Getty Images)

Don't plod in a straight line - and back again.(02 of08)

Choose a wiggly walk and terrain made for adventuring. "It's all about keeping children's minds off putting one foot in front of another," says Clare Lewis. (credit:Stephen Lux via Getty Images)

Always have an appealing destination - and make pit-stops along the way.(03 of08)

It could be a café with their favourite hot chocolate or their 'secret' place like a climbing tree. Make regular stops to admire natural curiosities, make a den, whittle a stick or play in water or whatever you fancy. Encourage your kids to take photos. Clare Lewis's family always take 'scroggin'; a New Zealand name for a hikers' mix of nuts and seeds, dried fruit and chocolate to keep energy levels up. (credit:ArtMarie via Getty Images)

Join forces with another family or get the kids to bring their friends.(04 of08)

Children love the sociability of a walk and bringing friends increases their activity as they challenge each other to jump the highest or widest, splash in puddles, climb trees or find the best stick. (credit:Alistair Berg via Getty Images)

Walk together in a chatty clod, not a single line with you barking 'come on, keep up'(05 of08)

There may be times you have to walk in a line, but take turns with who's the leader. Also, let your children choose the route (within reason!). (credit:Bounce via Getty Images)

Play games as you go.(06 of08)

Hide-and-seek, capture the flag or ambushes - sending kids on ahead so they can jump out on you - are all favourites. Bring a ball or a Frisbee to play with too. (credit:JLPH via Getty Images)

Turn your walk into a treasure hunt. Or an obstacle course.(07 of08)

Children love places to clamber over like a rocky beach or challenges like climbing trees or jumping over streams. Challenge children to touch that tree and run back, hopscotch between the pavement cracks or run along the low wall. "You could go on a shape walk, finding stones, shells and leaves that are all the same shape," suggests Clare Lewis, co-author of Adventure Walks for Families in and Around London. (credit:Imgorthand via Getty Images)

End on a high.(08 of08)

Match a walk to your kids' ages. You don't want want to leave them exhausted. Talk up what fun you had, so next time you suggest an adventure walk they leap at the chance. (credit:ArtMarie via Getty Images)