New Scrabble Words in the International Dictionary

Harper Collins has released the list of newly available words in the International Scrabble Dictionary (SOWPODS). It's not going to change much for North American players, but they're worth taking note of. It's amazing how language changes over time. Our Scrabble Cheat uses the TWL (US American dictionary) so these words don't appear in a search.

NEW PERMITTED SCRABBLE WORDS
From The Digital World
The new words from the field of computing include WIKI, BLOOK (a book serialised on a blog roll), BADWARE, FANSITE, WEBZINE and DARKNET, while the already valid BLOG is now accompanied by SPLOG and VLOG. New verbs from the world of computing include, PHARM, SCROBBLE, FACEBOOK, and MYSPACE.
From Overseas
As far as arrivals from overseas go, the star of the show is undoubtedly QIN, a kind of Chinese zither, which according to computer simulation is likely to become one of the most played words in Scrabble, alongside the already allowed QI (one’s life force). Japanese gives us WAGYU, a breed of beef cattle, and KOGAL, a young woman noted for her busy social life and purchase of expensive designer clothing. New words from Indian cookery include KEEMA, a kind of minced beef, ALU (or ALOO), a potato and GOBI, a cauliflower. Previously many Scrabble players would have been caught out by attempting to play such words familiar to them from their local Indian takeaway menu. Kenya contributes BENGA, a kind of popular music, while the increasing role of Islam in world affairs is reflected in many new words relating to that religion: UMMA, UMRA, FIQH, MEDRESA, IBADAH, SHAHID, TASBIH, NIKAH.
A New U-less Q-word!
Although it’s nice to have another U-less Q word, players may well find that FIQH refused to make frequent appearances on the board because of the low probability of having the QFH together and the fact that the over-familiarity with QI may cause a superior FIQH play to be overlooked.
Straight from the Street
Those who pride themselves on being up to date with the word on the street will be pleased to know that the Scrabble lexicon now includes THANG, INNIT, NANG, PUNAANY, BREDREN, BIACH, BLINGY, GRRL (or GRRRL) and several words for various kinds of drug: TIK, GAK, TINA.
Finally Allowed…
Those who in the past may have fallen foul of certain well-known 'phoneys' – words which seem entirely reasonable but which are not in fact acceptable according to the official list – will rejoice to learn that it will now be acceptable to play AIRGUN, HEATWAVE, PUSHBIKE, INBOX, TWIGLET, STRIM and CATFLAP.