When to borrow into Penang Hokkien

In compiling the Penang Hokkien Dictionary, I often arrive at decision points. In particular, this deals with Hokkien words that are not commonly used. Do I include it, or do I leave it out. But if I leave it out, then our Hokkien will be so much poorer because we cannot express what we want to express. If I put it in, is this still a Penang Hokkien Dictionary?

I look to English for guidance. Even though it has an extensive vocabulary, English borrows unabashedly from French, Latin, and many other languages. Languages, I observe, are like living organisms. If you want them to stay alive, you need to allow them to grow. The decision I am making is, yes, I shall add it in. If the word comes from Taiwanese Hokkien, I will mention it too. The good thing is that my dictionary is not just a word list, I have space to provide as much elaboration as needed. I want people who speak Penang Hokkien to have exposure to words used in other Hokkien dialects, and so, if I come across words I feel are essential to know, I will add them in.

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