Photobomb in Malay is tunafoto and it has nothing to do with fish

- AFP pic

PETALING JAYA: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) has revealed a number of new words in Bahasa Malaysia via their Twitter account on Monday.

In individual tweets titled "Meticulous with Language – Current Terms", DBP disclosed the Malay terms for four English words, half of which are very contemporary in their usage.

The words are kata pikat (pick-up line), meridap (nap), swafoto maut (killfie) and tunafoto (photobomb).

A killfie is a selfie taken at a dangerous location which may possibly cause the death of the photographer, such as at the edge of a cliff or skyscraper.

The other modern term, photobomb refers to the act of appearing in a photograph, either accidentally or intentionally, while the picture is being taken.

While some may be confused with the use of the word tuna in the Malay term, which is used to mean the tuna fish as in English, there is another meaning to the word in the Malay language.

According to the fourth edition of the Kamus Dewan dictionary, tuna can also mean injured, flawed or broken – which makes its use in the translation of photobomb appropriate.