Pelé: from the Field to the Pages of the Dictionary
There are few athletes who can shape their sport and be considered the greatest of all time, or even a god by their fellow countrymen. For Brazilians, there is only one name that fits this description: Edson Arantes do Nascimento. For the whole world, from sports fans and top bookmakers offered via agent to the most casual observers of the game, Pelé is a name that defines history.
A New Word for Excellence
The publisher of the Michaelis illustrated dictionaries, Melhoramentos, launched a campaign to gather signatures to add a new definition to their collection. And this definition (which received millions of «yes» votes) is the following:
«Pelé = That or someone who is out of the ordinary, what or who by virtue of their quality, value or superiority cannot be equated to anything or anyone. Examples: He is basketball’s Pelé. She is the Pelé of tennis. He is the Pelé of Medicine.»
This is a unique way of paying tribute to one of the greatest athletes of all time. And most people agree that it is fully deserved and justified. It could be seen as a modern version of an ancient tradition: the elevation of a person who represents the best of humanity.
Not the First Time
Sometimes, the names of sports players become so famous and influential that they enter the dictionary as words. These words can describe a quality, an achievement, an action or an object related to the sport or the player. Here are some examples of sports players’ names that were incorporated into the dictionary:
- Ali (noun): a very skillful boxer. Example: He is the Ali of his weight class.
- Bradman (noun): a very high score in cricket. Example: He scored a Bradman in the first innings.
- Jordan (noun): a very skillful basketball player. Example: He is the Jordan of his generation.
- Lombardi (noun): a trophy awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl in American football. Example: They won their first Lombardi in 2010.
- Munson (verb): to crash or fail spectacularly. Example: He munsoned his car into a tree.
Will "Pelé" Become a Universal Word?
It is not clear if other publishers will follow the example of Melhoramentos and add a new definition for “Pelé” in their dictionaries. Will the prestigious Oxford Dictionary, for instance, adopt such a meaning in its entries? Will other online or printed sources do the same? It is likely that many people from different languages and cultures have already used some version of it in their daily speech. It is also probable that sports fans and those who enjoy betting on football will use “Pelé” more often if they haven’t done so yet.
But will it become a permanent word? That’s something that only time can tell. Those who regard him as a god who blessed us with his presence would certainly welcome such a change. Those who are less fond of such acts of commemoration may not care much.
- Lucy