Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides etymological information about the place name "Africa" and current and past names of African nations & territories.
The content of this post is presented for etymological, historical, and educational purposes.
All of this information is quoted from two Wikipedia pages (links given below without the citations).
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the editors of Wikipedia and its sources for all of these quotes.
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ETYMOLOGICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLACE NAME "AFRICA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa
"Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent. At about 30.3 million km² (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers six per cent of Earth's total surface area and 20.4 per cent of its total land area.[2] With 1.1 billion people as of 2013, it accounts for about 15% of the world's human population.[1] The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos. It contains 54 fully recognized sovereign states (countries), nine territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition.
Etymology
Afri was a Latin name used to refer to the inhabitants of Africa, which in its widest sense referred to all lands south of the Mediterranean (Ancient Libya).[9][10] This name seems to have originally referred to a native Libyan tribe; see Terence#Biography for discussion. The name is usually connected with Hebrew or Phoenician ʿafar 'dust', but a 1981 hypothesis[11] has asserted that it stems from the Berber ifri (plural ifran) "cave", in reference to cave dwellers.[12] The same word[12] may be found in the name of the Banu Ifran from Algeria and Tripolitania, a Berber tribe originally from Yafran (also known as Ifrane) in northwestern Libya.[13]
Under Roman rule, Carthage became the capital of the province of Africa Proconsularis, which also included the coastal part of modern Libya.[14] The Latin suffix -ica can sometimes be used to denote a land (e.g., in Celtica from Celtae, as used by Julius Caesar). The later Muslim kingdom of Ifriqiya, modern-day Tunisia, also preserved a form of the name.
According to the Romans, Africa lay to the west of Egypt, while "Asia" was used to refer to Anatolia and lands to the east. A definite line was drawn between the two continents by the geographer Ptolemy (85–165 AD), indicating Alexandria along the Prime Meridian and making the isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea the boundary between Asia and Africa. As Europeans came to understand the real extent of the continent, the idea of "Africa" expanded with their knowledge.
Other etymological hypotheses have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":
The 1st-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (Ant. 1.15) asserted that it was named for Epher, grandson of Abraham according to Gen. 25:4, whose descendants, he claimed, had invaded Libya.
Isidore of Seville in Etymologiae XIV.5.2. suggests "Africa comes from the Latin aprica, meaning "sunny".
Massey, in 1881, stated that Africa is derived from the Egyptian af-rui-ka, meaning "to turn toward the opening of the Ka." The Ka is the energetic double of every person and the "opening of the Ka" refers to a womb or birthplace. Africa would be, for the Egyptians, "the birthplace."[15]
Michèle Fruyt proposed[16] linking the Latin word with africus "south wind", which would be of Umbrian origin and mean originally "rainy wind".
Robert R. Stieglitz of Rutgers University proposed: "The name Africa, derived from the Latin *Aphir-ic-a, is cognate to Hebrew Ophir."[17]"
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ETYMOLOGICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "AFRICA"- Part I (A-K)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_country-name_etymologies
List of country-name etymologies
"This list covers English language country names with their etymologies. Some of these include notes on indigenous names and their etymologies. Countries in italics are endonyms or no longer exist as sovereign political entities.
A
Algeria
Main articles: Etymology of Algeria and Etymology of Algiers
"Land of Algiers", a Latinization of French colonial name l'Algérie adopted in 1839.[26] The city's name derives from French Alger, itself from Catalan Aldjère,[27] from the Ottoman Turkish Cezayir and Arabic al-Jazāʼir (الجزائر, "the Islands"). This was a truncated form of the city's older name, Jazā’ir Banī Māzghānna (جزائر بني مازغان, "Islands of the sons of Mazgḥannā"), which referred to four islands off the city's coast which were held by a local Sanhaja tribe.[28][29] (These islands joined the mainland in 1525.) An alternate theory traces the Arabic further back to a transcription of the Berber Ldzayer in reference to Ziri ibn Manad, founder of the Zirid dynasty, whose son Buluggin ibn Ziri resettled the city.[30] In Berber, ziri means "moonlight".
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Angola
Main article: Etymology of Angola
"Land of Ndongo", from the Portuguese colonial name (Reino de Angola),[36] which erroneously derived a toponym from the Mbundu title ngola a kiluanje ("conquering ngola", a priestly title originally denoting a "chief smith",[37][38] then eventually "king") held by Ndambi a Ngola (Portuguese: Dambi Angola) as lord of Ndongo, a state in the highlands between the Kwanza and Lukala Rivers.
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B
Benin
Main article: Etymology of Benin
"[Land beside] the Bight of Benin", the stretch of the Gulf of Guinea west of the Niger delta, a purposefully neutral name chosen to replace Dahomey (see below) in 1975. The Bight itself is named after a city and a kingdom in present-day Nigeria having no relation to the modern Benin. The English name comes from a Portuguese transcription (Benin) of a local corruption (Bini) of the Itsekiri form (Ubinu) of the Yoruba Ile-Ibinu ("Home of Vexation"), a name bestowed on the Edo capital by the irate Ife oba Oranyan in the 12th century
An alternate theory derives Bini from the Arabic bani (بني, "sons" or "tribe").
Dahomey or Dahomy, a former name: "Belly of Dã" in Fon (Dã Homè),[54] from the palace of the ahosu Akaba, traditionally built over the entrails of a local ruler.[106] In Fon, the name "Dã" or "Dan" can also mean "snake" or the snake-god Damballa. Upon the restoration of independence, the name was deemed no longer appropriate since the historic kingdom comprised only the southern regions and ethnicities of the modern state.
Abomey, a former name: "Ramparts" in Fon (Agbomè), from the palace of the ahosu Houegbadja.
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Botswana
"Country of the Tswana" in Setswana, after the country's dominant ethnic group. The etymology of "Tswana" is uncertain. Livingstone derived it from the Setswana tshwana ("alike", "equal"),[116] others from a word for "free".[117] However, other early sources suggest that while the Tswana adopted the name, it was an exonym they learned from the Germans and British.[118]
Bechuanaland, a former name: from "Bechuana", an alternate spelling of "Botswana".
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Burkina Faso
"Land of Honest Men", from an amalgam of More burkina ("honest", "upright", or "incorruptible men") and Dioula faso ("homeland"; literally "father's house"), selected by President Thomas Sankara following his 1983 coup to replace Upper Volta.
Upper Volta, a former name: "Land of the Upper Volta River", whose main tributaries originate in the country. The Volta itself (Portuguese: "twist", "turn") was named by Portuguese gold traders exploring the region.[
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Burundi
"Land of the Rundi speakers" in Rundi, adopted upon independence from Belgian-occupied Ruanda-Urundi in 1962.[140]
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C
Cameroon
"Shrimp", from the singular French Cameroun derived from the German Kamerun, from the anglicized "Cameroons" derived from the Portuguese Rio de Camarões[149] ("Shrimp River") bestowed in 1472 on account of a massive swarm of the Wouri River's ghost shrimp.[149]
Kamerun, a former name: The German name for their colony there between 1884 and the end of World War I, as above. Formerly also known simply as German Cameroon.
Cameroun, a former name: The French name for their colony there between World War I and 1960, as above. Formerly also known simply as French Cameroons.
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Cape Verde
"Green Cape", from the Portuguese Cabo Verde, from its position across from the mainland cape of that name since its discovery in 1444. The cape is located beside Gorée Island in the modern nation of Senegal and is now known by its French form "Cap-Vert".[citation needed]
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Central African Republic
Self-descriptive, from its French name République centrafricaine. For further etymology of "Africa", see List of continent-name etymologies.
Ubangi-Shari, a former name: From the French Oubangui-Chari, from the Ubangi and the Chari Rivers, which ran through the territory.
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Chad
"Lake", from Lake Chad in the country's southwest, whose name derives from the Kanuri tsade ("lake").[citation needed]
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Comoros
"Moons", from the Arabic Jazā'ir al-Qamar (جزر القمر, "Islands of the Moon").
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Republic of the Congo
"[Land beside] the Congo River", adopted by the country upon independence in 1960 from the previous French autonomous colony Republic of the Congo (French: République du Congo) established in 1958, ultimately from the name of the original French colony French Congo (Congo français) established in 1882. The river itself derived its name from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom which occupied its mouth around the time of its discovery by the Portuguese in 1483[179] or 1484[180] and whose name derived from its people, the Bakongo, an endonym said to mean "hunters" (Kongo: 'mukongo', nkongo).[181]
French Congo, a former name: As above, with the inclusion of its occupier to distinguish it from the Belgian-controlled Congo to its south. For further etymology of "France", see below.
Middle Congo, a former name: From its position along the river, a translation of the French Moyen-Congo, adopted as the colony's name between 1906 and 1958.
Congo (Brazzaville): As above, with the inclusion of the country's capital to distinguish it from Congo (Léopoldville) or (Kinshasa) to its south. Brazzaville itself derives from the colony's founder, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazzà, an Italian nobleman whose title referred to the town of Brazzacco, in the comune of Moruzzo, whose name derived from the Latin Brattius or Braccius, both meaning "arm".[182]
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
As above, adopted upon independence in 1960 as Republic of the Congo (French: République du Congo).
Congo Free State, a former name: As above, a translation of the French État indépendant du Congo ("Free State of the Congo"), formed by Leopold II of Belgium in 1885 to administer the holdings of the International Congo Society acknowledged as separate from the country of Belgium at the 1884 Berlin Conference.
Belgian Congo, a former name: As above, following the Free State's union with Belgium in 1908, whose name was often included to distinguish the colony from the French-controlled Congo to its north. For further etymology of "Belgium", see above.
Congo (Léopoldville) and Congo-Léopoldville, former names: As above, with the inclusion of the country's capital to distinguish it from Congo (Brazzaville) to its north. This usage was especially common when both countries shared identical official names prior to Congo-Léopoldville's adoption of the name "Democratic Republic of the Congo" (République démocratique du Congo) in 1964.[183] Léopoldville itself was named for Leopold II of Belgium upon its founding in 1881. Leopold's own name derives from Latin leo ("lion") or Old High German liut ("people") and OHG bald ("brave").
Congo (Kinshasa) and Congo-Kinshasa, alternate names: As above, following the renaming of Léopoldville after the nearby native settlement of Kinshasa or Kinchassa[184] to its east[185] as part of the Mobutist Authenticity movement.
Zaire or Zaïre, a former name: "[Land beside] the Congo River", a French form of a Portuguese corruption of the Kongo Nzere ("river"), a truncation of Nzadi o Nzere ("river swallowing rivers"),[186] adopted for the river and the country between 1971 and 1997 as part of the Authenticity movement.
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Côte d'Ivoire
See also: Côte d'Ivoire § Name
"Ivory Coast" in French, from its previous involvement in the ivory trade. Similar names for Côte d'Ivoire and other nearby countries include the "Grain Coast", the "Gold Coast", and the "Slave Coast".
Ivory Coast, an alternate name: Self-descriptive, the English translation of the above.
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D
Djibouti
Etymology unknown, named for its eponymous capital Djibouti, founded in 1888 by the Catalan Eloi Pino and the capital of the previous French colonies French Somaliland and Afars & Issas. "Land of Tehuti", after the ancient Egyptian moon god.
French Somaliland, a former name: From its position near today's Somaliland, distinguishing it from British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. For the further etymology of France and Somalia, see below here and here.
Afars and Issas, a former name: From the country's two main ethnic groups, the Afars and Issas.
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Egypt
The Egyptian name Km.t appearing on the Luxor Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde, Paris.
Main article: Etymology of Egypt
"Home of the ka of Ptah", from Latin Ægyptus, from Greek Aígyptos (Αἴγυπτος), from Mycenean Akupitiyo or *Aiguptiyós[citation needed] (Linear B Syllable B008 A.svgLinear B Syllable B081 KU.svgLinear B Syllable B039 PI.svgLinear B Syllable B037 TI.svgLinear B Syllable B036 JO.svg). Possibly derived from Egyptian Gebtu (Coptos, modern Qift),[54] although now more often derived from Egyptian Ḥwt kȝ Ptḥ (Hwt k3 Pth.jpg, proposed reconstructions *Ħāwit kuʔ Pitáħ or *Hakupitah[citation needed]), an alternate name for Memphis, the capital of the Egyptian empire, by metonymy from the cult and temple of Ptah there. Ptah's name itself meant "opener", both in relation to his creation of the world and his role in the opening of the mouth ceremony.[208]
Strabo recorded the Greek folk etymology that it derived from the Greek Aigaíou hyptíōs (Αἰγαίου ὑπτίως, "[land] below the Aegean").
Miṣr or Maṣr, the local endonym: "City" in Arabic (مصر),[citation needed] ultimately from Akkadian.
*Kemet, a former endonym: "Black Land", reconstructed from Egyptian kmt, distinguishing the Nile flood plain from the "Red Land" of the desert, later becoming Coptic Kīmi (Ⲭⲏⲙⲓ). A previous folk etymology related the name to the Biblical Ham.
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Equatorial Guinea
Self-descriptive. Although the country's territory does not touch the equator, it straddles the line: the island Annobon lies to the south while the mainland is to the north. For further etymology of "Guinea", see below.
Spanish Guinea, a former name: See Spain and Guinea below.
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Eritrea
"Land of the Red Sea", adopted in 1993 upon independence from Ethiopia, from the Italian colony established in 1890, named by Francesco Crispi on the suggestion of Carlo Dossi, Italicized from the Latin transcription Mare Erythræum of the Greek Erythrá Thálassa (Ἐρυθρά Θάλασσα, "Red Sea").
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Ethiopia
Main article: Etymology of Ethiopia
"Land of the Blacks", from Latin Æthiopia, from the Ancient Greek Αἰθιοπία (Aithiopía), "land of the Burnt-Faced" (Ancient Greek: Αἰθίοπας), originally in reference to all Sub-Saharan Africa.[54]
An Ethiopian folk etymology recorded in the Book of Aksum traces the name to an "'Ityopp'is", supposed to be a son of Cush.
Dʿmt or Damot, a former name: Unknown etymology, reconstructed from the proto-Ge'ez Himjar dal.PNGHimjar ajin.PNGHimjar mim.PNGHimjar-ta2.svg and Ge'ez Dmt (Ge'ez: ዳሞት).
Kingdom of Aksum or Axum, a former name: Uncertain meaning, from the capital Axum (Ge'ez: አክሱም) of unknown etymology.
Abyssinia, a former name: Uncertain meaning. Latinized in 1735 from a Portuguese corruption Abassia[54] of the Arabic al-Ḥabašah (الحبشة),[211] from Ge'ez Ḥabbaśā (ሐበሻ) or Ḥabaśā (ሐበሣ), first attested in 2nd- or 3rd-century engravings as Ḥbś or Ḥbštm (ሐበሠ),[212] of unknown origin. Possibly related to the 15th-century-BC Egyptian Ḫbstjw, a foreign people of the incense-producing regions.
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G
Gabon
"Cloak", Anglicized from the Portuguese Gabão, bestowed on the Komo River estuary for its supposed resemblance to a gabão, a kind of pointy-hooded overcoat whose name derives from the Arabic qabā’ (قباء).
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The Gambia
"Kaabu", selected upon independence in 1965 from the name of the former British colony, named for the Gambia River, from a corruption of the Portuguese Gambra and Cambra first recorded in 1455 by Alvise Cadamosto,[217] a corruption of a local name Kambra or Kambaa (Mandinkan: "Kaabu river") or Gambura, an amalgam of Mandinkan Kaabu and Wolof bur ("king").[218]
A folk etymology traces the word from the Portuguese câmbio ("trade", "exchange"), from the region's extensive involvement in the slave trade.
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Ghana
Main article: Etymology of Ghana
"Warrior King",[231] adopted at J. B. Danquah's suggestion upon the union of Gold Coast with British Togoland in 1956 or upon independence on 6 March 1957, in homage to the earlier Malian Ghana Empire, named for the title of its ruler.[citation needed] Despite the empire never holding territory near the current nation, traditional stories connect the northern Mande of Ghana – the Soninke, Dyula, Ligby, and Bissa – to peoples displaced following the collapse of the old Ghana.[citation needed]
Togoland and British Togoland, former names: See Togo below.
Gold Coast, a former name: Self-descriptive. Compare the names Europeans gave to nearby stretches of shore, as Côte d'Ivoire above.
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Guinea
Main articles: Etymology of Guinea and Gulf of Guinea § Name
Etymology uncertain. Anglicized from Portuguese Guiné, traditionally derived from a corruption of Ghana above, originally in reference to the interior and applied to the coast only after 1481.[241] Alternate theories include a corruption of Djenné[242] and the Berber ghinawen, aginaw, or aguinaou ("burnt one", i.e. "black").[241]
French Guinea, a former name: As above, from the French Guinée française, a renaming of Rivières du Sud in 1894. For further etymology of "France", see above.
Rivières du Sud, a former name: "Southern Rivers" in French.
Guinea-Conakry, an alternate name: As above. Conakry, the capital, is traditionally derived from an amalgam of Baga Cona, a wine producer,[clarification needed] and Sosso nakiri ("other side" or "shore").[243]
Guinea-Bissau[edit]
Etymology of Guinea uncertain. The Portuguese name of República da Guiné-Bissau was adopted officially upon independence in 1973.
Portuguese Guinea, a former name: As above.
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K
Kenya
Main articles: Etymology of Kenya, Etymology of Mount Kenya, and List of names on Mount Kenya
After Mount Kenya, probably from the Kikuyu Kere Nyaga ("White Mountain").[249]
British East Africa (former name): after its geographical position on the continent of Africa and the former colonial power, (Britain).
See also Britain, above, and Africa on the Place name etymology page.
From the Kikuyu word Kirinyaga a contraction of Kirima nyaga "Ostrich mountain," so called because the dark shadows and snow-capped peak resemble the plumage of a male Ostrich. The neighbouring Kamba tribe do not have the "R" and "G" sound in their language and called it "Keinya" when acting as guides to a German explorer. It is often erroneously believed it comes from Kirima Ngai "Mountain of God" "
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L
Lesotho
"Land of the Basotho" or "of the Sesotho-speakers".[251] Basotho itself is formed from the plural prefix ba- and Sotho of uncertain etymology, although possibly related to the word motho ("human being").[252]
Basutoland: "Land of the Basotho", from an early anglicization of their name
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Liberia
From the Latin liber "free", so named because the country was established as a homeland for freed (liberated) African-American slaves.
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Libya
Main articles: Etymology of Libya, Ancient Libya, and Libu
After an ancient Berber tribe called Libyans by the Greeks and Rbw by the Egyptians. Until the country's independence, the term "Libya" generally applied only to the vast desert between the Tripolitanian Lowland and the Fazzan plateau (to the west) and Egypt's Nile river valley (to the east). With "Tripoli" the name of new country's capital, and the old northeastern regional name "Cyrenaica" having passed into obsolescence, "Libya" became a convenient name for the country, despite the fact that much of the desert called the Libyan desert is Egyptian territory.
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M
Madagascar
Main article: Etymology of Madagascar
From Madageiscar, a corruption of Mogadishu popularized by Marco Polo.
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Malawi
Possibly based on a native word meaning "flaming water" or "tongues of fire," believed to have derived from the sun's dazzling reflections on Lake Malawi. But President Hastings Banda, the founding President of Malawi, reported in interviews that in the 1940s he saw a "Lac Maravi" shown in "Bororo" country on an antique French map titled "La Basse Guinee Con[t]enant Les Royaumes de Loango, de Congo, d'Angola et de Benguela" and he liked the name "Malawi" better than "Nyasa" (or "Maravi"). "Lac Marawi" does not necessarily correspond to today's Lake Malawi. Banda had such influence at the time of independence in 1964 that he named the former Nyasaland "Malawi", and the name stuck.
Nyasaland (former name): Nyasa literally means "lake" in the local indigenous languages. The name applied to Lake Malawi, formerly Lake Nyasa (Niassa).
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Mali
After the ancient West African kingdom of the same name, where a large part of the modern country is. The word mali means "hippopotamus" in Malinké and Bamana.
French Sudan (former colonial name). In French Soudan français. The term Sudan (see below) stems from the Arabic bilad as-sudan (البلاد السودان) ("land of the Blacks").
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Mauritania
Latin for "land of the Moors". Misnamed after the classical Mauretania in northern Morocco, itself named after the Berber Mauri or Moor tribe.
Mauritius[edit]
Named Prins Maurits van Nassaueiland in 1598 after Maurice of Nassau (1567–1625), Stadtholder of Holland and Prince of Orange (1585–1625).
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Morocco
Main article: Etymology of Morocco
from "Marrakesh", the south region's former capital, from Portuguese Marrocos. Form of the Berber name Mərrakəš (ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ), probably from mur [n] akush (ⵎⵓⵔ ⵏ ⴰⴽⵓⵛ, "Land of God").
Al-Maghrib, a native name: Arabic for "the West" (المغرب), although note that in English use, the Maghreb typically refers to all of northwest Africa, not Morocco in particular.
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Mozambique
Main article: Etymology of Mozambique
From the name of the Island of Mozambique, which in turn probably comes from the name of a previous Arab ruler, the sheik Mussa Ben Mbiki.
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Namibia
From the coastal Namib Desert. Namib means "area where there is nothing" in the Nama language.
South-West Africa, a former name: location on the continent. For Africa, see List of continent-name etymologies.
German Southwest Africa, a former name: As above. For Germany, see Germany above.
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Niger
In English, Niger may be pronounced /ˈnaɪdʒər/ or /niːˈʒɛər/.
Named after the Niger River, from a native term Ni Gir or "River Gir" or from Tuareg n'eghirren ("flowing water").[276] The name has often been misinterpreted, especially by Latinists, to be derived from the Latin niger ("black"), a reference to the dark complexions of the inhabitants of the region.
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Nigeria
After the Niger river that flows through the western areas of the country and into the ocean and Area. See Niger above.
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R
Rwanda
"Land", from the Kinyarwanda kwanda ("expand"),[296] as eventually applied to the Tutsi Nyiginya mwamis descended from Ruganzu Ndori[297] or the speakers of Kinyarwanda.
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S
Senegal
Main article: Etymology of Senegal
From the Senegal river. After a Portuguese variant of the name of the Berber Zenaga (Arabic Senhaja) tribe, which dominated much of the area to the north of modern Senegal, i.e. present-day Mauritania.
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Sierra Leone
"Lion Mountains". Adapted from Sierra Leona, the Spanish version of the Portuguese Serra Leoa. The Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra named the country after the striking mountains that he saw in 1462 while sailing the West African coast. It remains unclear what exactly made the mountains look like lions. Three main explanations exist: that the mountains resembled the teeth of a lion, that they looked like sleeping lions, or that thunder which broke out around the mountains sounded like a lion's roar.
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Somalia
Main article: Etymology of Somalia
"Land of the Somali", an ethnic group. Somali itself is of uncertain etymology, although some have proposed a derivation from sac maal ("cattle herders") or a legendary patriarch named Samaale.
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South Africa
Main article: List of continent-name etymologies
Self-descriptive, from its location in Africa. For the etymology of Africa, see list of continent-name etymologies.
Suid-Afrika, a local endonym: "South Africa" in Afrikaans
Azania (alternative name): some opponents of the white-minority rule of the country used the name Azania in place of "South Africa" . The origin of this name remains uncertain, but the name has referred to various parts of sub-Saharan East-Africa. Recently, two suggestions for the origin of the word have emerged. The first cites the Arabic `ajam ("foreigner, non-Arab"). The second references the Greek verb azainein ("to dry, parch"), which fits the identification of Azania with arid sub-Saharan Africa.
Mzansi, an alternative endonym: a popular, widespread nickname among locals, used often in parlance but never officially adopted. (uMzantsi in isiXhosa means "south".)
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South Sudan
Self-descriptive, from its former position within Sudan prior to independence. For the etymology of Sudan, see Sudan below.
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Sudan
"Land of the Blacks", from the Arabic bilad as-sudan (البلاد السودان), which originally[citation needed] referred to most of the Sahel region.
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Swaziland
"Land of the Swazi", an ethnic group. The name Swazi itself derives from Mswati I, a former king of Swaziland.
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T
Tanzania
"Land of Tanganyika and Zanzibar", a blend and simplification of the original name – "United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar" – assumed upon independence in 1964
Tanganiyika was named for its lake, of uncertain etymology. Sir Richard Francis Burton derived it from the local tou tanganyka, "to join" in the sense "where waters meet." Henry Stanley derived it from tonga ("island") and hika ("flat").
Zanzibar was an Arabic name meaning "Black Coast" (Arabic: زنجبار, Zanjibār, from Persian: زنگبار, Zangibar[304][305])
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Togo
"By the water"[308] or "behind the sea",[309] derived from Ewe to ("water") and go ("shore"). Originally it just referred to the town of Togo (now Togoville), later the Germans extended the name to the whole nation.[309]
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Tunisia
Main articles: Etymology of Tunisia and Etymology of Tunis
"Land of Tunis", its capital.[311] Tunis's name possibly derives from the Phoenician goddess Tanith,[312] the ancient city of Tynes,[313] or the Berber ens, meaning "to lie down" or "to rest".[314]
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U
Uganda
"Buganda" in Swahili, adopted by the British as the name for their colony in 1894. Buganda was the kingdom of the 52 clans of the Baganda. Baganda ("Brothers and Sisters" or "Bundle People") is itself short for Baganda Ba Katonda ("Brothers and Sisters of God"), a reference to an indigenous creation story.
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Z
Zambia
Main articles: Etymology of Zambia and Name of Rhodesia
"Land of the Zambezi", which flows through the east of the country and also forms its border with Zimbabwe.
Northern Rhodesia, a former name: From the division of Rhodesia, Neo-Latin for "Land of Rhodes", the British South African minister and businessman who helped found the colony through his involvement with the British South Africa Company.
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Zimbabwe
Main articles: Etymology of Zimbabwe and Name of Rhodesia
"House of Stones", Dzimba-dze-mabwe in Shona,[citation needed] in reference to Great Zimbabwe.
Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia, former names: see Zambia above. The country was also briefly known as Zimbabwe Rhodesia between 1979 and 1980"
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Showing posts with label etymology. Show all posts
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Friday, November 25, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
What "I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot" REALLY Means In The Hamilton Musical
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post focuses on the meanings of the saying "I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot", a repeated lyric in the song "My Shot" from Lin-Manuel Miranda's award winning musical Hamilton.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and etymoogical purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda for his musical legacy and thanks to the entire cast of Hamilton.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/11/two-verse-in-my-shot-hamilton-musical.html Two Verse In "My Shot" (Hamilton Musical) That Refer To Black Patriots In The American Revolution for another pancocojams post about the song "My Shot".
****
OVERVIEW OF THE MUSICAL "HAMILTON" AND PARTIAL LYRICS FOR THE SONG "MY SHOT"
From http://genius.com/albums/Lin-manuel-miranda/Hamilton-original-broadway-cast-recording
Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2015); Lin-Manuel Miranda
Album
The cast recording to the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda blends musical theater, hip-hop, rap, R&B, jazz, pop, and American history to dramatize the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton, based on the biography by Ron Chernow. Despite depicting historical figures, the show practices colorblind (more like purposefully colorful) casting. As countless promotional materials state, Hamilton aims to depict “America then, as told by America now.”
....
[HAMILTON/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE]
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
It’s time to take a shot!
....
[LAFAYETTE]
I dream of life without a monarchy...
When I fight, I make the other side panicky
With my—
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
Shot!
....
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/ENSEMBLE]
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
...."
-snip-
Click that link for the complete lyrics as well as some comments by Lin-Manuel Miranda and some analysis from that site's bloggers.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Hamilton the Musical on Broadway
BroadwayBox.com, Published on Aug 7, 2015
Check out scenes and songs from Broadway's blockbuster new musical Hamilton. Katherine Brooks,
Senior Arts & Culture Editor, The Huffington Post.
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK4Wk_8PbcI&list=RDVK4Wk_8PbcI for the complete sound file of "My Shot" from the 2015 Broadway musical.
Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/lin-manuel-mirandas-broadway-musical.html for a previous pancocojams post about Hamilton. That post includes additional videos about that Broadway musical as well as excerpts from various online articles about that musical. The November 21, 2016 revised version of that original post includes two articles about Donald Trump's post election tweets about the audience of Hamilton booing his vice president Mike Pence.
****
WHAT "I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT" MEANS
From https://trudymorgancole.wordpress.com/2016/06/26/i-am-not-throwing-away-my-shot/ "I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot", June 26, 2016 by trudyj65
..."Hamilton, among so many other things, is a brilliantly crafted piece of literature, which is probably why Miranda won a Pulitzer Prize for writing it. The rapid-fire, often rapped lyrics are intricate and intelligent, and if (like me and most people) you’re introduced to the musical via the soundtrack album rather than via the stage performance, you have the luxury of listening over and over, replaying and re-hearing until you catch all the nuances. Musicals always play with musical motifs — a repeated thread of melody that accompanies a character throughout the story, used in different ways for different songs and scenes — but Hamilton adds an extraordinary level of literary motif, too.
Take, for example, the song “My Shot” (which is currently my alarm on my phone so I can wake up to its inspiring lyrics every morning). The real Alexander Hamilton is probably most famous for (possibly, depending on what you believe about the debated historical evidence) “throwing away his shot,” i.e. deliberately firing to miss in his fatal duel with Aaron Burr. In writing Hamilton’s songs, Miranda plays with this phrase in every possible way, spins its meaning in a dozen different directions as he builds a portrait of an ambitious young man determined not to “throw away his shot,” not to miss a chance either at personal success or service to his adopted country. Over and over, whenever given a chance to jump into the fray, Hamilton vows not to throw away his shot — at fame, at fortune, at leaving a legacy — and yet every repetition of that phrase points us forward to the inevitable conclusion, when he will throw away his shot, and leave that highly ambiguous legacy."
-snip-
To unpack this excerpt, that blogger writes that
1. “throwing away his shot,” [means to] deliberately firing to miss [in a duel with firearms]
2. not to “throw away his shot,” [means] not to miss a chance either at personal success or service to his adopted country
3. not to "throw away his shot" [not to miss a chance, opportunity] — at fame, at fortune, at leaving a legacy
-snip-
The lyrics "I am not throwing away my shot" in the song "My Shot" may mean each of these definitions at the same time. However, I believe that the emphasis in that song is on the meaning given as #3 above. Another way of saying this is "I'm not going to blow [waste; miss, be unprepared for, not take advantage of] a chance or chances [to succeed, to do something significant, to do what I needs to be done]".
Notice how that meaning for the saying "I am not throwing away my shot" was used by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Lorne Michaels, producer of Saturday Night Live during Miranda's monologue on that comedy program:
‘SNL': Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda Whip Out ‘My Shot’ Parody (Video) http://www.thewrap.com/snl-lin-manuel-miranda-whips-out-not-throwing-away-my-shot-parody/ for an article about Lin-Manuel Miranda's monologue on the American comedy series Saturday Night Live He said he wasn’t going to do any “Hamilton” songs, but he kinda did, Phil Owen | October 8, 2016 @ 9:55 PM
...."Miranda then described how it had long been a dream of his to host “Saturday Night Live,” and when the news broke that he would finally get the chance everybody he knew, of course, asked if he would do a “Hamilton” song.
“I’m like, no! It’s “Saturday Night Live”! I want to do all the “SNL” stuff. I want to do all the stuff an “SNL” host gets to do. It takes seven years to write a show so I don’t know when I’m going to be back here. So I am not throwing away my shot.”
“My Shot” is, of course, a track from “Hamilton,” and from there he burst into an “SNL”-tailored version of the song.
...The performance took Miranda through the audience and backstage, where he encountered “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, who interrupted the song to hit up Miranda for “Hamilton” tickets.....
Saturday Night Live ✔ @nbcsnl
You never throw away your shot to ask @Lin_Manuel Miranda for #Hamilton tickets. #SNLinManuel
12:34 AM - 9 Oct 2016
****
SOME DEFINITIONS OF THE WORD "SHOT" [that I think are pertinent to this song]
From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/shot
1. The firing or discharge of a weapon, such as a gun.
6. Informal
a. An attempt; a try: took a shot at losing weight.
b. An opportunity: gave him a fair shot at the part in the play.
c. A chance at odds; something to bet on: The horse was a four-to-one shot.
-snip-
As I wrote earlier, I believe that the definitions given as #1 and #6 are pertinent to the meaning of the saying "I'm not throwing away my shot" in Lin-Manuel Miranda's song "My Shot". I also believe that two other ways of saying "Take a shot" in that song are "(Go ahead) Take a chance! and "Go for it".
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM "THROWING AWAY YOUR SHOT" IN DUELING WITH FIREARMS
Here's more information about the "throwing away your shot" term in the context of dueling with firearms (definition #1 given above):
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloping
"Delope (French for "throwing away") is the practice of throwing away one's first fire in a pistol duel, in an attempt to abort the conflict. According to most traditions, the deloper must first allow his opponent the opportunity to fire after the command ("present") is issued by the second, without hinting at his intentions. The Irish code duello forbids the practice of deloping explicitly.
The delope could be attempted for practical reasons, such as if one duelist thought their opponent was superior in skill, so as not to provoke a fatal return shot. Deloping could also be done for moral reasons if the duelist had objections to attempting to kill his opponent or if he were so skilled a marksman as to make the exchange unfair. Deloping in a duel, for whatever reason, could be a risky strategy whether or not the delope was obvious to all present. Deloping with a near miss, in order to save one's honor without killing, could backfire if the opponent believed the effort to be genuine and responded with a fatal shot. Also, regardless of whether the delope was near or wide, the opponent might infer that he was being insulted as "not worth shooting" (an unworthy opponent) and either take care to aim his own shot to kill or insist on a second exchange.
However, for the opponent to insist upon a second shot after a delope was considered bloodthirsty and unbecoming. Often, it would fall to the seconds to end the duel immediately after a delope had been observed.
The term delope is specific to the use of firearms in a duel which, historically speaking, were typically flintlock pistols. These pistols were notorious for their lack of accuracy at long distances and a particularly skilled marksman might attempt to delope unnoticed with a well-placed "near-miss." The distance between the two combatants had to be great enough that all others present would assume that any miss was due to this inherent inaccuracy and not intentional. This way the shooter could avoid killing his opponent and, if accused of deloping, claim he had made a genuine effort. Also, the opponent might recognize the "near-miss" as a delope but understand that it was meant for the benefit of any witnesses present and, if the opponent was not insulted, also delope. Both parties could then claim they had each tried to shoot the other and the duel would end without any fatalities.
Notable uses
Alexander Hamilton, a 19th-century American politician, is thought to have attempted to delope during his infamous duel on July 11, 1804 with Aaron Burr, then the sitting Vice President of the United States. Rather than firing into the ground (as was customary for deloping), Hamilton fired into the air over Burr's head; Burr, perhaps misunderstanding his opponent's intent, fired directly at Hamilton, mortally wounding him. However, Burr's animosity towards Hamilton was such that it is not out of the question that Burr understood what Hamilton was doing and intentionally shot to kill, or at least draw blood. Other historians have proposed that Burr shot first and the wounded Hamilton reflexively pulled the trigger, which would not be an instance of delope. Ron Chernow's 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton gives this version. According to his account, the shots were all but simultaneous with Burr's coming first according to most witnesses. Chernow does note that Hamilton made it very clear to others that he intended to throw away his first shot. What remains in dispute is whether Burr certainly knew that."...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post focuses on the meanings of the saying "I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot", a repeated lyric in the song "My Shot" from Lin-Manuel Miranda's award winning musical Hamilton.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and etymoogical purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda for his musical legacy and thanks to the entire cast of Hamilton.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/11/two-verse-in-my-shot-hamilton-musical.html Two Verse In "My Shot" (Hamilton Musical) That Refer To Black Patriots In The American Revolution for another pancocojams post about the song "My Shot".
****
OVERVIEW OF THE MUSICAL "HAMILTON" AND PARTIAL LYRICS FOR THE SONG "MY SHOT"
From http://genius.com/albums/Lin-manuel-miranda/Hamilton-original-broadway-cast-recording
Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2015); Lin-Manuel Miranda
Album
The cast recording to the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda blends musical theater, hip-hop, rap, R&B, jazz, pop, and American history to dramatize the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton, based on the biography by Ron Chernow. Despite depicting historical figures, the show practices colorblind (more like purposefully colorful) casting. As countless promotional materials state, Hamilton aims to depict “America then, as told by America now.”
....
[HAMILTON/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE]
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
It’s time to take a shot!
....
[LAFAYETTE]
I dream of life without a monarchy...
When I fight, I make the other side panicky
With my—
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
Shot!
....
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/ENSEMBLE]
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
...."
-snip-
Click that link for the complete lyrics as well as some comments by Lin-Manuel Miranda and some analysis from that site's bloggers.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Hamilton the Musical on Broadway
BroadwayBox.com, Published on Aug 7, 2015
Check out scenes and songs from Broadway's blockbuster new musical Hamilton. Katherine Brooks,
Senior Arts & Culture Editor, The Huffington Post.
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK4Wk_8PbcI&list=RDVK4Wk_8PbcI for the complete sound file of "My Shot" from the 2015 Broadway musical.
Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/lin-manuel-mirandas-broadway-musical.html for a previous pancocojams post about Hamilton. That post includes additional videos about that Broadway musical as well as excerpts from various online articles about that musical. The November 21, 2016 revised version of that original post includes two articles about Donald Trump's post election tweets about the audience of Hamilton booing his vice president Mike Pence.
****
WHAT "I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT" MEANS
From https://trudymorgancole.wordpress.com/2016/06/26/i-am-not-throwing-away-my-shot/ "I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot", June 26, 2016 by trudyj65
..."Hamilton, among so many other things, is a brilliantly crafted piece of literature, which is probably why Miranda won a Pulitzer Prize for writing it. The rapid-fire, often rapped lyrics are intricate and intelligent, and if (like me and most people) you’re introduced to the musical via the soundtrack album rather than via the stage performance, you have the luxury of listening over and over, replaying and re-hearing until you catch all the nuances. Musicals always play with musical motifs — a repeated thread of melody that accompanies a character throughout the story, used in different ways for different songs and scenes — but Hamilton adds an extraordinary level of literary motif, too.
Take, for example, the song “My Shot” (which is currently my alarm on my phone so I can wake up to its inspiring lyrics every morning). The real Alexander Hamilton is probably most famous for (possibly, depending on what you believe about the debated historical evidence) “throwing away his shot,” i.e. deliberately firing to miss in his fatal duel with Aaron Burr. In writing Hamilton’s songs, Miranda plays with this phrase in every possible way, spins its meaning in a dozen different directions as he builds a portrait of an ambitious young man determined not to “throw away his shot,” not to miss a chance either at personal success or service to his adopted country. Over and over, whenever given a chance to jump into the fray, Hamilton vows not to throw away his shot — at fame, at fortune, at leaving a legacy — and yet every repetition of that phrase points us forward to the inevitable conclusion, when he will throw away his shot, and leave that highly ambiguous legacy."
-snip-
To unpack this excerpt, that blogger writes that
1. “throwing away his shot,” [means to] deliberately firing to miss [in a duel with firearms]
2. not to “throw away his shot,” [means] not to miss a chance either at personal success or service to his adopted country
3. not to "throw away his shot" [not to miss a chance, opportunity] — at fame, at fortune, at leaving a legacy
-snip-
The lyrics "I am not throwing away my shot" in the song "My Shot" may mean each of these definitions at the same time. However, I believe that the emphasis in that song is on the meaning given as #3 above. Another way of saying this is "I'm not going to blow [waste; miss, be unprepared for, not take advantage of] a chance or chances [to succeed, to do something significant, to do what I needs to be done]".
Notice how that meaning for the saying "I am not throwing away my shot" was used by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Lorne Michaels, producer of Saturday Night Live during Miranda's monologue on that comedy program:
‘SNL': Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda Whip Out ‘My Shot’ Parody (Video) http://www.thewrap.com/snl-lin-manuel-miranda-whips-out-not-throwing-away-my-shot-parody/ for an article about Lin-Manuel Miranda's monologue on the American comedy series Saturday Night Live He said he wasn’t going to do any “Hamilton” songs, but he kinda did, Phil Owen | October 8, 2016 @ 9:55 PM
...."Miranda then described how it had long been a dream of his to host “Saturday Night Live,” and when the news broke that he would finally get the chance everybody he knew, of course, asked if he would do a “Hamilton” song.
“I’m like, no! It’s “Saturday Night Live”! I want to do all the “SNL” stuff. I want to do all the stuff an “SNL” host gets to do. It takes seven years to write a show so I don’t know when I’m going to be back here. So I am not throwing away my shot.”
“My Shot” is, of course, a track from “Hamilton,” and from there he burst into an “SNL”-tailored version of the song.
“My name is Lin-Manuel, I am hosting “SNL” and I am not throwing away my shot,” Miranda sang. Imma go for broke and do it all tonight, take a swing, pass the baton, give me the ball tonight. I got a Tony and an Emmy and a Grammy yo, what I want is a famous person cameo.”
...The performance took Miranda through the audience and backstage, where he encountered “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, who interrupted the song to hit up Miranda for “Hamilton” tickets.....
Saturday Night Live ✔ @nbcsnl
You never throw away your shot to ask @Lin_Manuel Miranda for #Hamilton tickets. #SNLinManuel
12:34 AM - 9 Oct 2016
****
SOME DEFINITIONS OF THE WORD "SHOT" [that I think are pertinent to this song]
From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/shot
1. The firing or discharge of a weapon, such as a gun.
6. Informal
a. An attempt; a try: took a shot at losing weight.
b. An opportunity: gave him a fair shot at the part in the play.
c. A chance at odds; something to bet on: The horse was a four-to-one shot.
-snip-
As I wrote earlier, I believe that the definitions given as #1 and #6 are pertinent to the meaning of the saying "I'm not throwing away my shot" in Lin-Manuel Miranda's song "My Shot". I also believe that two other ways of saying "Take a shot" in that song are "(Go ahead) Take a chance! and "Go for it".
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM "THROWING AWAY YOUR SHOT" IN DUELING WITH FIREARMS
Here's more information about the "throwing away your shot" term in the context of dueling with firearms (definition #1 given above):
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloping
"Delope (French for "throwing away") is the practice of throwing away one's first fire in a pistol duel, in an attempt to abort the conflict. According to most traditions, the deloper must first allow his opponent the opportunity to fire after the command ("present") is issued by the second, without hinting at his intentions. The Irish code duello forbids the practice of deloping explicitly.
The delope could be attempted for practical reasons, such as if one duelist thought their opponent was superior in skill, so as not to provoke a fatal return shot. Deloping could also be done for moral reasons if the duelist had objections to attempting to kill his opponent or if he were so skilled a marksman as to make the exchange unfair. Deloping in a duel, for whatever reason, could be a risky strategy whether or not the delope was obvious to all present. Deloping with a near miss, in order to save one's honor without killing, could backfire if the opponent believed the effort to be genuine and responded with a fatal shot. Also, regardless of whether the delope was near or wide, the opponent might infer that he was being insulted as "not worth shooting" (an unworthy opponent) and either take care to aim his own shot to kill or insist on a second exchange.
However, for the opponent to insist upon a second shot after a delope was considered bloodthirsty and unbecoming. Often, it would fall to the seconds to end the duel immediately after a delope had been observed.
The term delope is specific to the use of firearms in a duel which, historically speaking, were typically flintlock pistols. These pistols were notorious for their lack of accuracy at long distances and a particularly skilled marksman might attempt to delope unnoticed with a well-placed "near-miss." The distance between the two combatants had to be great enough that all others present would assume that any miss was due to this inherent inaccuracy and not intentional. This way the shooter could avoid killing his opponent and, if accused of deloping, claim he had made a genuine effort. Also, the opponent might recognize the "near-miss" as a delope but understand that it was meant for the benefit of any witnesses present and, if the opponent was not insulted, also delope. Both parties could then claim they had each tried to shoot the other and the duel would end without any fatalities.
Notable uses
Alexander Hamilton, a 19th-century American politician, is thought to have attempted to delope during his infamous duel on July 11, 1804 with Aaron Burr, then the sitting Vice President of the United States. Rather than firing into the ground (as was customary for deloping), Hamilton fired into the air over Burr's head; Burr, perhaps misunderstanding his opponent's intent, fired directly at Hamilton, mortally wounding him. However, Burr's animosity towards Hamilton was such that it is not out of the question that Burr understood what Hamilton was doing and intentionally shot to kill, or at least draw blood. Other historians have proposed that Burr shot first and the wounded Hamilton reflexively pulled the trigger, which would not be an instance of delope. Ron Chernow's 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton gives this version. According to his account, the shots were all but simultaneous with Burr's coming first according to most witnesses. Chernow does note that Hamilton made it very clear to others that he intended to throw away his first shot. What remains in dispute is whether Burr certainly knew that."...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
The Black Gay Origins Of The Slang Saying "Take A Seat"
Edited by Azizi Powell
On February 1, 2016 African American actor John Boyega, star of the latest Star War movie, tweeted "Happy black history month" to his twitter followers. A blogger responded with a tweet to which John Boyega then responded "Take several seats".... The entire tweets from those two bloggers are included in the example section below. My comments about those particular tweets are given in the comment section below. I also plan to include these tweets in an upcoming pancocojams post about Black history month. The link for that post will be included in this post.
I decided to write this post as a result of reading those articles about John Boyega's tweet and then reading other articles about that saying (and similar sayings). My particular impetus for this post was the realization that there's not a lot of online information available about "take a seat" that not only accurately indicate what that saying and extensions of that sayings mean, but also gives props to Black gay ballroom culture for originating that saying.
This post provides definitions, comments, and examples of the slang saying "Take a seat" and related sayings such as "Have several seats" and "Take several seats. Take the whole stadium".
The content of this post is presented for etymological, cultural, and sociological purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
WHAT "TAKE A SEAT" (AND ITS EXTENSIONS "TAKE (HAVE) SEVERAL SEATSE) MEAN
The slang saying "Take a seat" means to sit down and shut up (because what you are saying or doing isn't accurate or doesn't make any sense.)
"Take several seats" means that what you are saying or doing really isn't accurate and/or really doesn't make any sense.
Here's a definition for "have several seats":
From http://stan-wars.com/stan_dictionary.html
"have several seats - shut up; to stop talking or engaging in your current activity in order to avoid further embarrassment or conflict.
John: "Britney Spears has more Grammys than Lady Gaga."
Jack: "Have several seats."
-snip-
A "stan" is an avid or overzealous fan of a celebrity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_(fan)
****
From http://madamenoire.com/269845/get-your-life-com-other-tamar-braxton-catch-phrases/ Your Life, .Com! And Other Hilarious Tamar Braxton Catch Phrases April 1, 2013 ‐ By Veronica Wells
"Five years ago most of us had no idea who Tamar Braxton was. (Some of ya’ll had the album but most of you didn’t.) Well, all of that changed when “Braxton Family Values” hit We TV. Now, when you think of the Braxton sisters, Tamar’s name must be a part of the conversation. While Toni sang her way into our hearts. Tamar chatted her way in our affections and sometimes our nerves. Whatever the case may check out the catch phrases that made her famous."
**
http://madamenoire.com/269845/get-your-life-com-other-tamar-braxton-catch-phrases/6/
"Have several seats
...“Have several seats” is reserved for the folks who are standing for the wrong principles. In case they think they’re vilified, a quick “have several seats” quickly lets folks know that you are not in agreement with their stance.
****
From http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/06/tamarisms_101_get_hip_to_tamar.html "Tamarism 101: Get hip to Tamar Braxton's infamous quotes before Saturday's Birmingham concert" By Mia Watkins, on June 10, 2014 at 4:20 PM, updated June 10, 2014 at 4:26 PM
"Tamar Braxton may be known for hitting all the right notes but she can also turn a phrase. Anyone who watches her two WE tv reality shows, "Braxton Family Values" and "Tamar and Vince," knows that the youngest Braxton is a scene stealer largely thanks to her made for TV personality and her quick-witted responses. Ahead of her Saturday "Love and War" tour stop at Iron City, here are just a few of her famous catchphrases:
..."Have several seats"
"Have several seats" derives from the phrase "have a seat." It can be used to either shut someone up or let them that their doing what is called "the most," which is always a touch too much. One could even take it up a notch and ask the person they're in opposition with to "have a stadium of seats." It's even more effective."
-snip-
It should be noted that these "take a seat", "have several seats" slang sayings doesn't have the same origin and meanings as the Chris Hansen catchphrase, “why don’t you take a seat right over there?" that was popularized by the television show To Catch A Predator http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/chris-hansen
****
COMMENTS AND EXAMPLES OF THE SLANG SAYING "TAKE A SEAT" AND ITS EXTENSIONS
These quotes are presented in no particular order, except for the first comment about the Black (African American) Gay origin of that saying. These selected comments may not be consecutive order.
I've numbered these quotes for referencing purposes only.
From http://thoughtcatalog.com/madison-moore/2012/11/black-gay-slang-explained-to-suburban-white-people/ Madison Moore, November 29, 2012 [comments section]
Editor's Note: Most of these selected comments are about the general subject of the Black Gay (ballroom) origin of a number of American slang terms and saying. I'm including these comments because I consider them to be pertinent not only to the "take a seat" saying, but to a number of other American slang terms and saying.
1.Guest, 2013
"lol you also forgot "hunty" "stay pressed" and "bye felicia". Oh and my personal favorite: "B&&ch*, take several seats"
-snip-
*That full word was spelled out in this comment.
**
2. Jaimee398, 2013
"The list or phrases on it arent racist or meant to be racist. Its actual phrases people say. Its a gay thing, not a black or white thing. And it is hilarious the things that come out of our mouths or that get turned into the new phrases people say."
**
3.Bennett Schneider > El, 2013
"I hope not to diminish your experience and cultural integrity, but language is fluid. It cross pollinates always and has for as long as we have spoken. African and African American language has a hallmark of wonderful fluidity and redefinition. That improvisational poetry has long influenced all language types in American English; it is a gift for which all should be grateful. I don't know how one could make language used so widely, exclusive, esp. in this day and age of instant communication.
Gay male slang has also been one of the more fluid and improvisatory languages - for example, in England there is an actual Gay dialect form the early 20th Century now studied in colleges.
To the claim that black LGBT slang should remain spoken and written only by bona fide black gay male practitioners of a certain sub-set, how would we regulate that? Should gay men not say "Gurl!" if they are white, Asian, and Latino? What about black gay men you do not consider of the correct sub-set; how will they know? Or does their being in the black community make that automatically OK, even if they have not spoken it much before? Can Black women say it? because they has been enormous cross over between black gay slang and black female slang.
We could, forgive me for suggesting, look at the marvelous inventions of language coming from black gay men, as a gift to the the whole community. It could be a shining source of pride that these valued members of our community keep us alive and creative and smiling with better turns of phrase than we might have had in a community of exclusivity. (of course this begs the awareness of White Privilege and the loooong denial of white culture's "gifts" to black people and others... like, opportunity, freedom, money, and access).
**
4. Alixi > Jaimee398, 2014 [In response to the comment that this is Gay slang and not just African American slang.]
"But majority of it is African American slang. Don't understand how whites make fun of slang and AAVE all day long but refuse to acknowledge the source when it's widely known
**
5. Jessie > El, 2015
"There are white people in the ball scene. I'm pretty new, but I've walked, got my tens, won my category. I'm not going to code switch to standard straight white people talk just to make the tumblr types comfortable."
****
From http://madamenoire.com/269845/get-your-life-com-other-tamar-braxton-catch-phrases/#disqus_thread "Get Your Life and Other Tamar Braxton Catch Phrases" [comment section]
6. Fallon, 2012
"Catch phrases from the gay community you mean.. Ok then
**
Reply
7. OSHH > Fallon, 2012
"Right, this is just a resurgence and twist on phrases I first heard in the 80's. Besides have several seast and you need to sit down etc those have been around also"
**
Reply
8. OSHH > Fallon, 2012
"Right, this is just a resurgence and twist on phrases I first heard in the 80's. Besides have several seast and you need to sit down etc those have been around also"
**
Reply
9. She needs to have several seat, 2012
"She's heard "have several seats" from youtube blogger makael fromt the skorpion show and she wont profit from because she didnt originate it. They're really good friends he said it on the show."
**
10. Just saying!!, 2012
"I can't believe all the shade in the comments section. Did you people come to this article just to tell everyone you don't like Tamar!? You knew it was going to be celebrating her catch phrases...so if you don't like it don't click on the damn article--it's REALLY that simple! With that being said...HAVE SEVERAL SEATS and GET YOUR LIFE. :) (Y'all tried it...but failed!)
****
From https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110904094316AA0SzIa
[question posted in Sept. 4, 2011]
"What does the slang "have several seats" mean?"
11. "Best Answer: Context is really the only way to answer your question. Next time you post something like this, use it in a sentence."
Source(s):
Lex T, 2011
**
12. "The people with the answers above need to have several seats! Which means you're stupid and need to go sit the feck down somewhere. Take a seat!!! In fact, take several seats... (how's that for context?)
Source(s):
Common sense..."
mz, 2013
**
13. "It's a way of telling someone to shut up after they've said or done something to disgrace themselves."
chichidark64, 2013
****
From https://www.facebook.com/RealHousewivesofAtlanta/videos/10153202204720780/ [all of these comments are from January 12, 2016. These comments refer to an American television program entitled Real Housewives Of Atlanta. The women starring in this reality series (now) are all African Americans. The first blogger takes her (or his) screen name from the title of that series.
14. Real Housewives of Atlanta
"Pick your head up OFF the floor because NENE LEAKES has RETURNED. Don't miss her arrival on an all-new #RHOA Sunday @ 8/7c."
**
15. Sandra Sanders
"I knew that big mouth lady coming back if she has no other projects.,..run back to Atlanta house wives..its her side show...case she has nothing else to appear in.....have several seats Nene,.....all them bills got to keep the money flowing.."
**
16. Juanita V White
"You should have several seats as well. It's an ignorant mouse that has only one hole to crawl into. Why shouldn't she make money while she has the opportunity? You're sounding silly and hateful"...
**
17. Darren Diver
"Take several seats, the Queen is back!!!! You can't have Atlanta housewives without Nene!"
****
From https://www.instagram.com/p/9qni32gEoJ/ Brittany Fogarty on Instagram: “Page 6.
New Mob Wife Cast member Already Causing Trouble Nov 4, 2015
Note: Mob Wife is an American reality television. All the women starring in that series are White.
WARNING: This page contains a lot of profanity.
18. nguerrero2789@littlegirlblue_
"But she didn't so you don't. Youd think those people paid your bills with the way you talk. You dont even know them. Have several seats, in fact take the whole stadium"
**
19. nguerrero2789@bluur_x
"why am i pathetic? I was defending britt lol"
**
20. britfogarty@nguerrero2789
"hahahaha thanks for having my back boo 😘 she must have been angry and read it a little too quick... We all have our blonde moments 👩🏼😋 thanks for the love 💜"
****
Editor's note: I'm assigning one number to the tweets from John Boyega and RandomNASCAR_. I'm also quoting a portion of the essence.com article to give these tweets context.
21. From http://www.essence.com/2016/02/02/john-boyega-silences-black-history-month-haters-twitter
"February is always a special month. Not only do we celebrate love on Valentine's day, but we also commit to honoring Black History.
To commemorate the start of this time of year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor John Boyega tweeted a simple greeting to his 460,000-plus followers:
John Boyega
✔ @JohnBoyega
Happy black history month X
8:25 AM - 1 Feb 2016
For some of his followers, however, Boyega's message wasn't one worthy of sharing. For those who took the time to challenge the actor, Boyega had clever comebacks to silence them all.
RandomNASCAR_Posts @randomnascar
@JohnBoyega good point lots of great people to remember. Hopefully we'll get to point where we dont even notice colors
8:59 AM - 1 Feb 2016
John Boyega
✔ @JohnBoyega
@randomnascar please take several seats black history is more than that."
-snip-
As a reminder, read my comment about these tweets in the comment section below.
Also, read this pancocojams post about Black history month - http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/02/stacey-dashs-comments-about-black.html Stacey Dash's Comments About Black History Month & A Video Of Group Of Black Children's Responses To Those Comments
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
On February 1, 2016 African American actor John Boyega, star of the latest Star War movie, tweeted "Happy black history month" to his twitter followers. A blogger responded with a tweet to which John Boyega then responded "Take several seats".... The entire tweets from those two bloggers are included in the example section below. My comments about those particular tweets are given in the comment section below. I also plan to include these tweets in an upcoming pancocojams post about Black history month. The link for that post will be included in this post.
I decided to write this post as a result of reading those articles about John Boyega's tweet and then reading other articles about that saying (and similar sayings). My particular impetus for this post was the realization that there's not a lot of online information available about "take a seat" that not only accurately indicate what that saying and extensions of that sayings mean, but also gives props to Black gay ballroom culture for originating that saying.
This post provides definitions, comments, and examples of the slang saying "Take a seat" and related sayings such as "Have several seats" and "Take several seats. Take the whole stadium".
The content of this post is presented for etymological, cultural, and sociological purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
WHAT "TAKE A SEAT" (AND ITS EXTENSIONS "TAKE (HAVE) SEVERAL SEATSE) MEAN
The slang saying "Take a seat" means to sit down and shut up (because what you are saying or doing isn't accurate or doesn't make any sense.)
"Take several seats" means that what you are saying or doing really isn't accurate and/or really doesn't make any sense.
Here's a definition for "have several seats":
From http://stan-wars.com/stan_dictionary.html
"have several seats - shut up; to stop talking or engaging in your current activity in order to avoid further embarrassment or conflict.
John: "Britney Spears has more Grammys than Lady Gaga."
Jack: "Have several seats."
-snip-
A "stan" is an avid or overzealous fan of a celebrity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_(fan)
****
From http://madamenoire.com/269845/get-your-life-com-other-tamar-braxton-catch-phrases/ Your Life, .Com! And Other Hilarious Tamar Braxton Catch Phrases April 1, 2013 ‐ By Veronica Wells
"Five years ago most of us had no idea who Tamar Braxton was. (Some of ya’ll had the album but most of you didn’t.) Well, all of that changed when “Braxton Family Values” hit We TV. Now, when you think of the Braxton sisters, Tamar’s name must be a part of the conversation. While Toni sang her way into our hearts. Tamar chatted her way in our affections and sometimes our nerves. Whatever the case may check out the catch phrases that made her famous."
**
http://madamenoire.com/269845/get-your-life-com-other-tamar-braxton-catch-phrases/6/
"Have several seats
...“Have several seats” is reserved for the folks who are standing for the wrong principles. In case they think they’re vilified, a quick “have several seats” quickly lets folks know that you are not in agreement with their stance.
****
From http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/06/tamarisms_101_get_hip_to_tamar.html "Tamarism 101: Get hip to Tamar Braxton's infamous quotes before Saturday's Birmingham concert" By Mia Watkins, on June 10, 2014 at 4:20 PM, updated June 10, 2014 at 4:26 PM
"Tamar Braxton may be known for hitting all the right notes but she can also turn a phrase. Anyone who watches her two WE tv reality shows, "Braxton Family Values" and "Tamar and Vince," knows that the youngest Braxton is a scene stealer largely thanks to her made for TV personality and her quick-witted responses. Ahead of her Saturday "Love and War" tour stop at Iron City, here are just a few of her famous catchphrases:
..."Have several seats"
"Have several seats" derives from the phrase "have a seat." It can be used to either shut someone up or let them that their doing what is called "the most," which is always a touch too much. One could even take it up a notch and ask the person they're in opposition with to "have a stadium of seats." It's even more effective."
-snip-
It should be noted that these "take a seat", "have several seats" slang sayings doesn't have the same origin and meanings as the Chris Hansen catchphrase, “why don’t you take a seat right over there?" that was popularized by the television show To Catch A Predator http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/chris-hansen
****
COMMENTS AND EXAMPLES OF THE SLANG SAYING "TAKE A SEAT" AND ITS EXTENSIONS
These quotes are presented in no particular order, except for the first comment about the Black (African American) Gay origin of that saying. These selected comments may not be consecutive order.
I've numbered these quotes for referencing purposes only.
From http://thoughtcatalog.com/madison-moore/2012/11/black-gay-slang-explained-to-suburban-white-people/ Madison Moore, November 29, 2012 [comments section]
Editor's Note: Most of these selected comments are about the general subject of the Black Gay (ballroom) origin of a number of American slang terms and saying. I'm including these comments because I consider them to be pertinent not only to the "take a seat" saying, but to a number of other American slang terms and saying.
1.Guest, 2013
"lol you also forgot "hunty" "stay pressed" and "bye felicia". Oh and my personal favorite: "B&&ch*, take several seats"
-snip-
*That full word was spelled out in this comment.
**
2. Jaimee398, 2013
"The list or phrases on it arent racist or meant to be racist. Its actual phrases people say. Its a gay thing, not a black or white thing. And it is hilarious the things that come out of our mouths or that get turned into the new phrases people say."
**
3.Bennett Schneider > El, 2013
"I hope not to diminish your experience and cultural integrity, but language is fluid. It cross pollinates always and has for as long as we have spoken. African and African American language has a hallmark of wonderful fluidity and redefinition. That improvisational poetry has long influenced all language types in American English; it is a gift for which all should be grateful. I don't know how one could make language used so widely, exclusive, esp. in this day and age of instant communication.
Gay male slang has also been one of the more fluid and improvisatory languages - for example, in England there is an actual Gay dialect form the early 20th Century now studied in colleges.
To the claim that black LGBT slang should remain spoken and written only by bona fide black gay male practitioners of a certain sub-set, how would we regulate that? Should gay men not say "Gurl!" if they are white, Asian, and Latino? What about black gay men you do not consider of the correct sub-set; how will they know? Or does their being in the black community make that automatically OK, even if they have not spoken it much before? Can Black women say it? because they has been enormous cross over between black gay slang and black female slang.
We could, forgive me for suggesting, look at the marvelous inventions of language coming from black gay men, as a gift to the the whole community. It could be a shining source of pride that these valued members of our community keep us alive and creative and smiling with better turns of phrase than we might have had in a community of exclusivity. (of course this begs the awareness of White Privilege and the loooong denial of white culture's "gifts" to black people and others... like, opportunity, freedom, money, and access).
**
4. Alixi > Jaimee398, 2014 [In response to the comment that this is Gay slang and not just African American slang.]
"But majority of it is African American slang. Don't understand how whites make fun of slang and AAVE all day long but refuse to acknowledge the source when it's widely known
**
5. Jessie > El, 2015
"There are white people in the ball scene. I'm pretty new, but I've walked, got my tens, won my category. I'm not going to code switch to standard straight white people talk just to make the tumblr types comfortable."
****
From http://madamenoire.com/269845/get-your-life-com-other-tamar-braxton-catch-phrases/#disqus_thread "Get Your Life and Other Tamar Braxton Catch Phrases" [comment section]
6. Fallon, 2012
"Catch phrases from the gay community you mean.. Ok then
**
Reply
7. OSHH > Fallon, 2012
"Right, this is just a resurgence and twist on phrases I first heard in the 80's. Besides have several seast and you need to sit down etc those have been around also"
**
Reply
8. OSHH > Fallon, 2012
"Right, this is just a resurgence and twist on phrases I first heard in the 80's. Besides have several seast and you need to sit down etc those have been around also"
**
Reply
9. She needs to have several seat, 2012
"She's heard "have several seats" from youtube blogger makael fromt the skorpion show and she wont profit from because she didnt originate it. They're really good friends he said it on the show."
**
10. Just saying!!, 2012
"I can't believe all the shade in the comments section. Did you people come to this article just to tell everyone you don't like Tamar!? You knew it was going to be celebrating her catch phrases...so if you don't like it don't click on the damn article--it's REALLY that simple! With that being said...HAVE SEVERAL SEATS and GET YOUR LIFE. :) (Y'all tried it...but failed!)
****
From https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110904094316AA0SzIa
[question posted in Sept. 4, 2011]
"What does the slang "have several seats" mean?"
11. "Best Answer: Context is really the only way to answer your question. Next time you post something like this, use it in a sentence."
Source(s):
Lex T, 2011
**
12. "The people with the answers above need to have several seats! Which means you're stupid and need to go sit the feck down somewhere. Take a seat!!! In fact, take several seats... (how's that for context?)
Source(s):
Common sense..."
mz, 2013
**
13. "It's a way of telling someone to shut up after they've said or done something to disgrace themselves."
chichidark64, 2013
****
From https://www.facebook.com/RealHousewivesofAtlanta/videos/10153202204720780/ [all of these comments are from January 12, 2016. These comments refer to an American television program entitled Real Housewives Of Atlanta. The women starring in this reality series (now) are all African Americans. The first blogger takes her (or his) screen name from the title of that series.
14. Real Housewives of Atlanta
"Pick your head up OFF the floor because NENE LEAKES has RETURNED. Don't miss her arrival on an all-new #RHOA Sunday @ 8/7c."
**
15. Sandra Sanders
"I knew that big mouth lady coming back if she has no other projects.,..run back to Atlanta house wives..its her side show...case she has nothing else to appear in.....have several seats Nene,.....all them bills got to keep the money flowing.."
**
16. Juanita V White
"You should have several seats as well. It's an ignorant mouse that has only one hole to crawl into. Why shouldn't she make money while she has the opportunity? You're sounding silly and hateful"...
**
17. Darren Diver
"Take several seats, the Queen is back!!!! You can't have Atlanta housewives without Nene!"
****
From https://www.instagram.com/p/9qni32gEoJ/ Brittany Fogarty on Instagram: “Page 6.
New Mob Wife Cast member Already Causing Trouble Nov 4, 2015
Note: Mob Wife is an American reality television. All the women starring in that series are White.
WARNING: This page contains a lot of profanity.
18. nguerrero2789@littlegirlblue_
"But she didn't so you don't. Youd think those people paid your bills with the way you talk. You dont even know them. Have several seats, in fact take the whole stadium"
**
19. nguerrero2789@bluur_x
"why am i pathetic? I was defending britt lol"
**
20. britfogarty@nguerrero2789
"hahahaha thanks for having my back boo 😘 she must have been angry and read it a little too quick... We all have our blonde moments 👩🏼😋 thanks for the love 💜"
****
Editor's note: I'm assigning one number to the tweets from John Boyega and RandomNASCAR_. I'm also quoting a portion of the essence.com article to give these tweets context.
21. From http://www.essence.com/2016/02/02/john-boyega-silences-black-history-month-haters-twitter
"February is always a special month. Not only do we celebrate love on Valentine's day, but we also commit to honoring Black History.
To commemorate the start of this time of year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor John Boyega tweeted a simple greeting to his 460,000-plus followers:
John Boyega
✔ @JohnBoyega
Happy black history month X
8:25 AM - 1 Feb 2016
For some of his followers, however, Boyega's message wasn't one worthy of sharing. For those who took the time to challenge the actor, Boyega had clever comebacks to silence them all.
RandomNASCAR_Posts @randomnascar
@JohnBoyega good point lots of great people to remember. Hopefully we'll get to point where we dont even notice colors
8:59 AM - 1 Feb 2016
John Boyega
✔ @JohnBoyega
@randomnascar please take several seats black history is more than that."
-snip-
As a reminder, read my comment about these tweets in the comment section below.
Also, read this pancocojams post about Black history month - http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/02/stacey-dashs-comments-about-black.html Stacey Dash's Comments About Black History Month & A Video Of Group Of Black Children's Responses To Those Comments
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Words For Father & Mother In Various African Languages (M-Z)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series that provides an alphabetized listing of a small number of African languages and their word/s for "father" and "mother".
Part II provides entries for African languages from M-Z.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/09/words-for-father-mother-in-various.html Part I of the list. Part I includes entries for African languages from A-L.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
Additions and corrections are very welcome.
****
WORDS FOR FATHER AND MOTHER in VARIOUS AFRICAN LANGUAGES, Part I
This small number of languages were selected somewhat at random from this listing of African language names http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/african_languages.htm "Official and Spoken Languages of African Countries" That website indicates that "Africa is a continent with a very high linguistic diversity, there are an estimated 1500-2000 African languages."
In this list, the nation in which the featured language is spoken is given in brackets after the language's name. The African word/s for the English language words "father" and "mother" are then given, followed by a citation of the online source where I retrieved that information. A quote from that source, or from Wikipedia, and/or from some other website may also be included for that entry.
M, N
Mandinka (also given as Manding) [Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau and Chad;]
Father = baaba
Mother - naa
http://www.africanculture.dk/gambia/ftp/mandinka.pdf
-snip-
That dictionary also indicates that "mama" and "mamoo" means grandparent; "mamakee" means grandfather and "mamamusoo" means "grandmother".
****
Mende [Sierra Leone] (entry added September 21, 2014)
Father -Keke
Mother - Yie
Grandmother- Mama
Maada - Grandfather/Paramount Chief
Kenya -Uncle
http://www.sierra-leone.org/Books/MendeManual.pdf
****
"Nso (Lamnso, Lamnsɔ’) is the Grassfields language of the Nso people of western Cameroon"..
Father = Tate
Mother: Meme
-snip-
Citation for "Tate" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovambo_language
Citation for "Meme" https://worldpulse.com/node/2016 from comment written On January 27, 2010 by justina She also wrote "Grandmother is called Kuku."
Here's a quote from that Wikipedia page for Oshiwambo:
"Not to be confused with Ambo language (Zambia) or Ambo language (Nigeria). ... The language is generally called Ovambo, Ambo, or Oshiwambo in English. ..Ovambo, also known as Wambo or Ambo, is a dialect cluster in Angola and northern Namibia".
Here's more informaton from "Hai ti! – A Beginner's Guide to Oshikwanyama - wingolog" http://wingolog.org/pub/hai-ti/hai-ti.pdf
Ovaneumbo / Edimo:
My father Tate
Your father Xo
His/her father Xe
My mother Meme
Your mother Nyoko
****
Q, R
S,T
Sethoso [South Africa]
Father – ntate
Mother - 'me
http://www.sesotho.web.za/greetlse.htm
****
Setswana [Botswana, South Africa and Namibia (Southern Africa)]
father - ntate
Mother – mma
http://www.wordgumbo.com/nk/tsw/erengtsw.htm
-snip-
Here's a comment about the pronunciation of "mma" from https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090203213954AA0bMzk "How do you say mother in Setswana?"
“It's "mma". And be sure to lengthen the "m". The "m" sound is long, and the "a" sound is short.”
****
Sheng [Kenya]
Many words in Sheng change rapidly and otherwise differ. "Budako" (father) was the word for father in this 2007 article https://books.google.com/books?isbn=9966974377 "Cultural Production and Social Change in Kenya: Building Bridges" [p. 94] by Kimani Njogu, Garnette Oluoch-Olunya and in this 2013 article http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol6no6/6.6-Kihara.pdf "On Mchongoanos And Riddles In Kenya" by C. Patrick Kihara [in The Journal of Pan-African Studies vol 6, no 6, December 2013]. "Budako" was also
"Mathako" was the word for "mother" that was given in that 2007 article. However, the 2013 article gave the word "mathako" for "mother".
Here are other Sheng words for "father" and "mother" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheng_slang
"mdosi, fathe, mbuyu, buda" = "dad"
"masa, mathe, mnyaka, mokoro, moda" = "mum"
-snip-
Here's some information about "Sheng" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheng_slang
"Sheng is a Swahili-based cant, perhaps a mixed language or creole, originating among the urban underclass of Nairobi, Kenya, and influenced by many of the languages spoken there. While primarily a language of urban youths, it has spread across social classes and geographically to neighbouring Tanzania and Uganda...
The word "Sheng" is coined from the two languages that it is mainly derived from: Swahili and English. The "h" was included from the middle of "Swahili because "Seng" would have sounded unusual...
Although the grammar, syntax, and much of the vocabulary are drawn from Swahili, Sheng borrows from English and from the languages of various ethnic groups in Kenya, including Luhya, Gĩkũyũ, Luo and Kamba. Words are also borrowed from languages that are neither a local language nor English – such as the Sheng word dame "lady" — which is a title of honour for a lady in English, or morgen "morning" – a Sheng word used in some areas with a similar meaning in German.
Sheng vocabulary can vary significantly within Kenya's various subdivisions and the larger African Great Lakes region, and even between neighbourhoods in Nairobi”...
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/05/prince-nico-mbarga-sweet-mother-sound.html for a pancocojams post on Sheng.
****
Somali [Somalia]
Updated: January 28, 2019]
Father:aabo
Mother:hooyo
Source: Unknown [commenter January 29, 2019 correcting Google translate]
****
Tigrinya -[Eritrea and Ethiopia]
Father = Abo
Mother -Ade
http://www.digob.com/Tigrinya-eritrea-ethiopia/Tigrinya-Dictionary-eritrea-ethiopia.php
****
Tshiluba [Democratic Republic Of The Congo]
Tatu - Father
Mamu - Mother
https://quizlet.com/19855509/tshiluba-family-flash-cards/
****
Twi [Ghana]
Father - Agya
Mother - Ɛna
http://www.nkyea.com/2010/10/twi-language-who-makes-up-your-family/
-snip-
That source also indicated that "Nana" is the Twi word for "Grandfather / Grandmother". Nana is also a Ghanaian title.
"Amongst the Akan clans of Ghana, the word Nana generally denotes social eminence derived from either nobility or advanced age. It is most often used as a pre-nominal honorific by individuals who are entitled to it due to the former of the two ( E.g. kings and chieftains such as Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, the reigning Asantehene of Asanteman)". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nana_(title)
-snip-
Here are two other citations for the Twi word for father and mother (and grandparents):
From http://ghanamagazine.com/twidictionary/
Father – Papa
Mother – Maame
Grandparents – Nana
**
From http://www.interpals.net/note.php?nid=99757 "My African language short phrase book"
Twi (pronounced 'chwee')
Father = papa
Mother = maame
****
W, X
Wolof [Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania]
Father – Baye
Mother - Yaye
http://livingroutes.goabroad.net/Anastasia!/journals/2711/mini-introduction-to-wolof-as-well-as-orientation-to-senegalese-politics
****
Xhosa [South Africa] Revised June 19, 2016
Father – ubawo, utata
Mother - umama
From http://www.101languages.net/xhosa/xhosa-word-list/
-snip-
"Utata" and "umama" are usually shortened to "tata" (father) and "mama" (mother).
Comments from the discussion thread of "sarafina.the funeral song", a video on the 1976 Soweto Uprising indicate that the word "tata" is an abbreviation of "utata" and "mama" is an abbreviation of "umama".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/06/sarafina-1992-movie-about-soweto.html for a pancocojams post about the Soweto uprising and that particular video.
****
Y, Z
Yoruba [Nigeria]
Father- baba
Mother - iya
citation: Google Translate
****
Zulu [South Africa]
Father- ubaba
Mother - umama
Update: June 19, 2016: http://www.101languages.net/zulu/zulu-word-list/
****
This concludes Part II of this series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series that provides an alphabetized listing of a small number of African languages and their word/s for "father" and "mother".
Part II provides entries for African languages from M-Z.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/09/words-for-father-mother-in-various.html Part I of the list. Part I includes entries for African languages from A-L.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
Additions and corrections are very welcome.
****
WORDS FOR FATHER AND MOTHER in VARIOUS AFRICAN LANGUAGES, Part I
This small number of languages were selected somewhat at random from this listing of African language names http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/african_languages.htm "Official and Spoken Languages of African Countries" That website indicates that "Africa is a continent with a very high linguistic diversity, there are an estimated 1500-2000 African languages."
In this list, the nation in which the featured language is spoken is given in brackets after the language's name. The African word/s for the English language words "father" and "mother" are then given, followed by a citation of the online source where I retrieved that information. A quote from that source, or from Wikipedia, and/or from some other website may also be included for that entry.
M, N
Mandinka (also given as Manding) [Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau and Chad;]
Father = baaba
Mother - naa
http://www.africanculture.dk/gambia/ftp/mandinka.pdf
-snip-
That dictionary also indicates that "mama" and "mamoo" means grandparent; "mamakee" means grandfather and "mamamusoo" means "grandmother".
****
Mende [Sierra Leone] (entry added September 21, 2014)
Father -Keke
Mother - Yie
Grandmother- Mama
Maada - Grandfather/Paramount Chief
Kenya -Uncle
http://www.sierra-leone.org/Books/MendeManual.pdf
****
"Nso (Lamnso, Lamnsɔ’) is the Grassfields language of the Nso people of western Cameroon"..
yiy: mom (mother)
tar: dad (father)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nso_language
- O, P
Father = Tate
Mother: Meme
-snip-
Citation for "Tate" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovambo_language
Citation for "Meme" https://worldpulse.com/node/2016 from comment written On January 27, 2010 by justina She also wrote "Grandmother is called Kuku."
Here's a quote from that Wikipedia page for Oshiwambo:
"Not to be confused with Ambo language (Zambia) or Ambo language (Nigeria). ... The language is generally called Ovambo, Ambo, or Oshiwambo in English. ..Ovambo, also known as Wambo or Ambo, is a dialect cluster in Angola and northern Namibia".
Here's more informaton from "Hai ti! – A Beginner's Guide to Oshikwanyama - wingolog" http://wingolog.org/pub/hai-ti/hai-ti.pdf
Ovaneumbo / Edimo:
My father Tate
Your father Xo
His/her father Xe
My mother Meme
Your mother Nyoko
****
Q, R
S,T
Sethoso [South Africa]
Father – ntate
Mother - 'me
http://www.sesotho.web.za/greetlse.htm
****
Setswana [Botswana, South Africa and Namibia (Southern Africa)]
father - ntate
Mother – mma
http://www.wordgumbo.com/nk/tsw/erengtsw.htm
-snip-
Here's a comment about the pronunciation of "mma" from https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090203213954AA0bMzk "How do you say mother in Setswana?"
“It's "mma". And be sure to lengthen the "m". The "m" sound is long, and the "a" sound is short.”
****
Sheng [Kenya]
Many words in Sheng change rapidly and otherwise differ. "Budako" (father) was the word for father in this 2007 article https://books.google.com/books?isbn=9966974377 "Cultural Production and Social Change in Kenya: Building Bridges" [p. 94] by Kimani Njogu, Garnette Oluoch-Olunya and in this 2013 article http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol6no6/6.6-Kihara.pdf "On Mchongoanos And Riddles In Kenya" by C. Patrick Kihara [in The Journal of Pan-African Studies vol 6, no 6, December 2013]. "Budako" was also
"Mathako" was the word for "mother" that was given in that 2007 article. However, the 2013 article gave the word "mathako" for "mother".
Here are other Sheng words for "father" and "mother" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheng_slang
"mdosi, fathe, mbuyu, buda" = "dad"
"masa, mathe, mnyaka, mokoro, moda" = "mum"
-snip-
Here's some information about "Sheng" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheng_slang
"Sheng is a Swahili-based cant, perhaps a mixed language or creole, originating among the urban underclass of Nairobi, Kenya, and influenced by many of the languages spoken there. While primarily a language of urban youths, it has spread across social classes and geographically to neighbouring Tanzania and Uganda...
The word "Sheng" is coined from the two languages that it is mainly derived from: Swahili and English. The "h" was included from the middle of "Swahili because "Seng" would have sounded unusual...
Although the grammar, syntax, and much of the vocabulary are drawn from Swahili, Sheng borrows from English and from the languages of various ethnic groups in Kenya, including Luhya, Gĩkũyũ, Luo and Kamba. Words are also borrowed from languages that are neither a local language nor English – such as the Sheng word dame "lady" — which is a title of honour for a lady in English, or morgen "morning" – a Sheng word used in some areas with a similar meaning in German.
Sheng vocabulary can vary significantly within Kenya's various subdivisions and the larger African Great Lakes region, and even between neighbourhoods in Nairobi”...
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/05/prince-nico-mbarga-sweet-mother-sound.html for a pancocojams post on Sheng.
****
Somali [Somalia]
Updated: January 28, 2019]
Father:aabo
Mother:hooyo
Source: Unknown [commenter January 29, 2019 correcting Google translate]
****
Tigrinya -[Eritrea and Ethiopia]
Father = Abo
Mother -Ade
http://www.digob.com/Tigrinya-eritrea-ethiopia/Tigrinya-Dictionary-eritrea-ethiopia.php
****
Tshiluba [Democratic Republic Of The Congo]
Tatu - Father
Mamu - Mother
https://quizlet.com/19855509/tshiluba-family-flash-cards/
****
Twi [Ghana]
Father - Agya
Mother - Ɛna
http://www.nkyea.com/2010/10/twi-language-who-makes-up-your-family/
-snip-
That source also indicated that "Nana" is the Twi word for "Grandfather / Grandmother". Nana is also a Ghanaian title.
"Amongst the Akan clans of Ghana, the word Nana generally denotes social eminence derived from either nobility or advanced age. It is most often used as a pre-nominal honorific by individuals who are entitled to it due to the former of the two ( E.g. kings and chieftains such as Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, the reigning Asantehene of Asanteman)". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nana_(title)
-snip-
Here are two other citations for the Twi word for father and mother (and grandparents):
From http://ghanamagazine.com/twidictionary/
Father – Papa
Mother – Maame
Grandparents – Nana
**
From http://www.interpals.net/note.php?nid=99757 "My African language short phrase book"
Twi (pronounced 'chwee')
Father = papa
Mother = maame
****
W, X
Wolof [Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania]
Father – Baye
Mother - Yaye
http://livingroutes.goabroad.net/Anastasia!/journals/2711/mini-introduction-to-wolof-as-well-as-orientation-to-senegalese-politics
****
Xhosa [South Africa] Revised June 19, 2016
Father – ubawo, utata
Mother - umama
From http://www.101languages.net/xhosa/xhosa-word-list/
-snip-
"Utata" and "umama" are usually shortened to "tata" (father) and "mama" (mother).
Comments from the discussion thread of "sarafina.the funeral song", a video on the 1976 Soweto Uprising indicate that the word "tata" is an abbreviation of "utata" and "mama" is an abbreviation of "umama".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/06/sarafina-1992-movie-about-soweto.html for a pancocojams post about the Soweto uprising and that particular video.
****
Y, Z
Yoruba [Nigeria]
Father- baba
Mother - iya
citation: Google Translate
****
Zulu [South Africa]
Father- ubaba
Mother - umama
Update: June 19, 2016: http://www.101languages.net/zulu/zulu-word-list/
****
This concludes Part II of this series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Two Examples Of "Johnny Fill Up The Bowl" (United States Civil War Song)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases two examples of the United States Civil War Song "Johnny Fill Up The Bowl".
This post is published for folkloric and historical purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers of versions of this song. Thanks also to the collectors and publishers of this song, and to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
Example #1: JOHNNY FILL UP THE BOWL
Up, Freeman and volunteer,
Hurrah, hurrah!
And crush Rebellion out this year
Hurrah, hurrah!
Up-hoist our country's glorious flag
Down with the Confederate rag;
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
The Conscription Act is now passed
Hurrah, hurrah!
And we'll be drafted now at last.
Hurrah, hurrah!
Five Hndred Thousand the latest call,
Wake up, or we'll be ruined all.
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
Soon from the distant shores of Maine,
Hurrah, hurrah!
To Georgia's distant sunny plain
Hurrah, hurrah!
Our flag shall wave over ev'y port,
O'er land and sea and then we'll sport;
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
And when this cruel war is o'er,
Hurrah, hurrah!
We'll not discharge the Invalid Corps
But to garrison forts or occupy,
A higher station till they die;
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
Quoted from http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/old-time-music/old-time-songs/johnny_fill_up_the_bowl.html
-snip-
Explanation of certain words or phrases:
Freeman - Black men who are free as a result of the Emancipation Proclamation
Prior to the Emancipation Proclamation [in July 1862] there were Black men who were born free and/or who had purchased their freedom.
As an aside, it can be noted that some Black Americans and some non-Black Americans have the last name "Freeman". That term was also used during medieval times in the United Kingdom to distinguish freeman from serfs.
"conscription finally being passed" = July 17, 1862 [click
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war/ for information about this subject]
The use of the term "freeman", the reference to "conscription finally being passed",and the use of the pronoun "we" are indications that this version of "Johnny Fill Up The Bowl" was composed by a Black American.
"fill up the bowl [with liquor]
"and we'll all drink stone-blind" = This probably means veeeery drunk; i.e. "as blind as a stone" (since stones can't see)
In contemporary English saying "drinking (oneself blind)- so that things get blurry and the person can't see.
The phrase "stone blind" appears to be similar but is probably not the same as the use of "stone" as a substitute for the word "very". I think that slang use of the word "stone" as an intensifier first occurred in the mid to late 1960s, for example in the hit song "Stone Soul Picnic" which was recorded by The Fifth Dimensions.
"then we'll sport" - then we'll enjoy ourselves
****
Example #2:
JOHNNY FILL UP THE BOWL
Abram Lincoln, where yer 'bout?
Hurrah, hurrah.
Stop this war, for it's played out
Hurrah, hurrah.
Abram Lincoln, what yer 'bout
Stop this war, for it's played out.
We'll all drink stone-blind
Johnny fill up the bowl.
-snip-
Source of this song: "Civil War Street Ballad", Journal of American Folklore, 1892, 269-81
A musical notation is given for this song. But unfortunately, I can't read music and therefore can't tell for sure what the tune is and if its tempo was fast or slow. However, the editor's comment about this example taking "a popular patroit tune" and the use of the name "Johnny" suggests to me that that song used the tune to "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3k8H_9SjoM for a sound file of that song.
The summary of that sound file indicates that "Noted Bandmaster Patrick Gilmore wrote the lyrics for this tune when his band was attached to the 24th Massachusetts Infantry. The tune is the same as the Irish song "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" but there is some dispute as to which came first."
-snip-
That information was surprising to me as I had apparently mistakenly thought that "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" song referred to the soldiers in the Confederate army, because of their nickname "Johnny reb". I
My guess is that "Johnny" was a general nickname for all White males (in the United States, at least, and perhaps also in what was to become the United Kingdom. At the same time in the United States, if not elsewhere, the general nickname for Black males was either "Sambo" ("Sam") or "George", but I believe that I read that "George came later. And, I read in that same article whose citation I didn't save that at least one general nickname for Black females was "Elizabeth" (Lizzy).
-snip-
Explanation of certain words or phrases:
"where yer 'bout= where are you?
-snip-
This song is included in the book Folklore From The Working Poor edited by Tritram Potter Coffin and Hennig Cohen (Anchor Press, 1973, p. 83). That book featured three example from "Civil War Street Ballad", Journal of American Folklore, 1892, 269-81. However, I only copied the example given above.
[This was about 15 years ago before I had a home computer and I would use the library copy machines and pay 10 cents a page to copy lots of pages of books that I was interested in.]
Here are notes about this song and the other two songs that were featured in that section are quoted in Folklore From The Working Poor from the article "Civil War Street Ballad", Journal of American Folklore, 1892, 269-81
"Military. Songs of this kind were printed on single sheets of coarse paper often without music or indication of authorship, and sold in the streets for a penny and were gathered in dime songsters. These examples were gathered by Alfred M. Williams. Many street ballads show clear signs of folk origin, and others more literary and of known authorship passed into folk tradition. The standard tunes for these three songs which follow have ben supplied by the editors.
"Johnny Fill Up The Bowl": Copperheads, northern sympathizers with the Conferacy, or simply the discouraged and war-weary, also raised their voices in song, like folksingers everywhere borrowing a tune that united them. In this instance they took a popular patriotic tune. Vance Randolph (Ozark Folksongs II, 284) notes a version of this song used as a sea chantey.
"Bummers Come And Meet Us": "Bummers" were soldiers who deserted to loot and were, loosely, raiders. As with sailors' chanteys and plantation work songs, the simple repetitiou form of thee verses encouragaged communal composition-exapansion and iprovisation by anonymous singers. To thee eextent it was used by soldiers as a marching song it was, in a strict sense, more of an occupational song than the others in this group.
"The Valiant Conscript": A shared tradition, North and South, is eevideent in this southern version off "Yankee Doodle", which, like "Dixie", calls to mind the banter and low humor of the
minstrel stage.
-snip-
My comment:
Given these notes and the use of the "When Johnny Comes Marching home song, I think that this version of that song was probably composed by White Americans.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases two examples of the United States Civil War Song "Johnny Fill Up The Bowl".
This post is published for folkloric and historical purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers of versions of this song. Thanks also to the collectors and publishers of this song, and to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
Example #1: JOHNNY FILL UP THE BOWL
Up, Freeman and volunteer,
Hurrah, hurrah!
And crush Rebellion out this year
Hurrah, hurrah!
Up-hoist our country's glorious flag
Down with the Confederate rag;
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
The Conscription Act is now passed
Hurrah, hurrah!
And we'll be drafted now at last.
Hurrah, hurrah!
Five Hndred Thousand the latest call,
Wake up, or we'll be ruined all.
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
Soon from the distant shores of Maine,
Hurrah, hurrah!
To Georgia's distant sunny plain
Hurrah, hurrah!
Our flag shall wave over ev'y port,
O'er land and sea and then we'll sport;
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
And when this cruel war is o'er,
Hurrah, hurrah!
We'll not discharge the Invalid Corps
But to garrison forts or occupy,
A higher station till they die;
And we'll all drink stone-blind--
Johnny, fill up the bowl.
Quoted from http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/old-time-music/old-time-songs/johnny_fill_up_the_bowl.html
-snip-
Explanation of certain words or phrases:
Freeman - Black men who are free as a result of the Emancipation Proclamation
Prior to the Emancipation Proclamation [in July 1862] there were Black men who were born free and/or who had purchased their freedom.
As an aside, it can be noted that some Black Americans and some non-Black Americans have the last name "Freeman". That term was also used during medieval times in the United Kingdom to distinguish freeman from serfs.
"conscription finally being passed" = July 17, 1862 [click
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war/ for information about this subject]
The use of the term "freeman", the reference to "conscription finally being passed",and the use of the pronoun "we" are indications that this version of "Johnny Fill Up The Bowl" was composed by a Black American.
"fill up the bowl [with liquor]
"and we'll all drink stone-blind" = This probably means veeeery drunk; i.e. "as blind as a stone" (since stones can't see)
In contemporary English saying "drinking (oneself blind)- so that things get blurry and the person can't see.
The phrase "stone blind" appears to be similar but is probably not the same as the use of "stone" as a substitute for the word "very". I think that slang use of the word "stone" as an intensifier first occurred in the mid to late 1960s, for example in the hit song "Stone Soul Picnic" which was recorded by The Fifth Dimensions.
"then we'll sport" - then we'll enjoy ourselves
****
Example #2:
JOHNNY FILL UP THE BOWL
Abram Lincoln, where yer 'bout?
Hurrah, hurrah.
Stop this war, for it's played out
Hurrah, hurrah.
Abram Lincoln, what yer 'bout
Stop this war, for it's played out.
We'll all drink stone-blind
Johnny fill up the bowl.
-snip-
Source of this song: "Civil War Street Ballad", Journal of American Folklore, 1892, 269-81
A musical notation is given for this song. But unfortunately, I can't read music and therefore can't tell for sure what the tune is and if its tempo was fast or slow. However, the editor's comment about this example taking "a popular patroit tune" and the use of the name "Johnny" suggests to me that that song used the tune to "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3k8H_9SjoM for a sound file of that song.
The summary of that sound file indicates that "Noted Bandmaster Patrick Gilmore wrote the lyrics for this tune when his band was attached to the 24th Massachusetts Infantry. The tune is the same as the Irish song "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" but there is some dispute as to which came first."
-snip-
That information was surprising to me as I had apparently mistakenly thought that "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" song referred to the soldiers in the Confederate army, because of their nickname "Johnny reb". I
My guess is that "Johnny" was a general nickname for all White males (in the United States, at least, and perhaps also in what was to become the United Kingdom. At the same time in the United States, if not elsewhere, the general nickname for Black males was either "Sambo" ("Sam") or "George", but I believe that I read that "George came later. And, I read in that same article whose citation I didn't save that at least one general nickname for Black females was "Elizabeth" (Lizzy).
-snip-
Explanation of certain words or phrases:
"where yer 'bout= where are you?
-snip-
This song is included in the book Folklore From The Working Poor edited by Tritram Potter Coffin and Hennig Cohen (Anchor Press, 1973, p. 83). That book featured three example from "Civil War Street Ballad", Journal of American Folklore, 1892, 269-81. However, I only copied the example given above.
[This was about 15 years ago before I had a home computer and I would use the library copy machines and pay 10 cents a page to copy lots of pages of books that I was interested in.]
Here are notes about this song and the other two songs that were featured in that section are quoted in Folklore From The Working Poor from the article "Civil War Street Ballad", Journal of American Folklore, 1892, 269-81
"Military. Songs of this kind were printed on single sheets of coarse paper often without music or indication of authorship, and sold in the streets for a penny and were gathered in dime songsters. These examples were gathered by Alfred M. Williams. Many street ballads show clear signs of folk origin, and others more literary and of known authorship passed into folk tradition. The standard tunes for these three songs which follow have ben supplied by the editors.
"Johnny Fill Up The Bowl": Copperheads, northern sympathizers with the Conferacy, or simply the discouraged and war-weary, also raised their voices in song, like folksingers everywhere borrowing a tune that united them. In this instance they took a popular patriotic tune. Vance Randolph (Ozark Folksongs II, 284) notes a version of this song used as a sea chantey.
"Bummers Come And Meet Us": "Bummers" were soldiers who deserted to loot and were, loosely, raiders. As with sailors' chanteys and plantation work songs, the simple repetitiou form of thee verses encouragaged communal composition-exapansion and iprovisation by anonymous singers. To thee eextent it was used by soldiers as a marching song it was, in a strict sense, more of an occupational song than the others in this group.
"The Valiant Conscript": A shared tradition, North and South, is eevideent in this southern version off "Yankee Doodle", which, like "Dixie", calls to mind the banter and low humor of the
minstrel stage.
-snip-
My comment:
Given these notes and the use of the "When Johnny Comes Marching home song, I think that this version of that song was probably composed by White Americans.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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