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Can we say that “twerking,” which ABC recently broke down scientifically, is officially over-hyped and commodified now? The word “twerk” will be added to the Oxford English Dictionary as a verb.

Don’t thank longtime purveyors of the dance like say Atlanta rappers the Ying Yang Twins, sissy bounce legend Big Freedia or even YouTube stars the Twerk Team for the recognition, though. Apparently, it’s all thanks to Miley Cyrus. [sigh]

The New York Daily News reports:

Britain’s Oxford Dictionaries said the rapid-fire gyrations employed by pop starlet Miley Cyrus to bounce her way to the top of the charts had become increasingly visible in the past 12 months and would be added to its publications under the entry: “Twerk, verb.”

At least Oxford Dictionaries’ Katherine Connor Martin recognizes that “twerking” is at least two decades out and not some fad popularized when a white Pop star decided to get down.

“There are many theories about the origin of this word, and since it arose in oral use, we may never know the answer for sure,” Martin told the Associated Press. “We think the most likely theory is that it is an alteration of work, because that word has a history of being used in similar ways, with dancers being encouraged to ‘work it.’ The ‘t’ could be a result of blending with another word such as twist or twitch.”

Besides “twerk,” other words that will be added in the next Oxford update include “selfie” and “digital detox.”

The “twerk” definition will read: “dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.”

Somewhere in America…

Photo: YouTube