Is there any language rich in synonyms that you know of? Show me
that language and I will show you the English language. The English Language is
the father of synonym and today I will be showing you different ways in which
you can express the word, 'friend.'
1. Bestie
The first on my list is 'bestie' and it is commonly used in
Nigeria. It is an informal way in which you can express the word, 'friend,'
therefore most commonly used by youths and teenagers while chatting with each
other. e.g. He is my bestie.
2. Mate
'Mate' as another way of expressing the word, 'friend' is most
commonly used in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Although this
is not a new word to Nigerian learners of English, only a handful of them are
aware of the fact that it also means 'friend.' e.g. Tammy is my best mate.
3. Bezzie
Referring to someone as your 'bezzie' simply means that the person
is your best 'friend.' Also, there are variations of this word such as
'bestie',or abbreviations like 'bff (best friend(s) forever)', 'bffl(best
friends for life)'. Though this word would generally be understood all over the
English speaking world, its variants(bestie, bff, bffl) are most commonly used
in Nigeria, especially by the young ones while chatting with their peers on
social media.
4. Pal
Although mostly used in the United Kingdom, this word and its
meaning are not new to Nigerian learners of English(especially the youths) as
one will always see an expression such as 'good morning pals' on their Facebook
walls when greeting their Facebook friends.
5. Chum
This is an old fashioned way of expressing the word 'friend.' As a
way of updating it, its adjective, 'chummy' is used instead of it. Though it
could have a meaning which is more than 'friend', it is not totally out of
place to hear someone calling another person his 'chummy.'
It is globally understood but not commonly used in Nigeria.
6. Buddy
'Buddy' is mostly used in the United States to mean 'close friend'
and it is also understood by other English speaking world to mean the same
thing. However, in the United Kingdom, it is a popular boy dog's name. This
word is often shortened to 'bud' which still means the same thing.