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Monday, January 25, 2021

Examples Of Variant Colloquial Words For "Man" Such As "Mane", "Mayne", "Manze", & "Mehn" From Some YouTube Discussion Threads About Contemporary African Music

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part IV of a four part pancocojams post about variant colloquial spellings of the English word "man" such as "mane", "manye", "manze", "mehn" and others.

Part IV of this pancocojams series documents examples of variant colloquial words for "man" from some discussion threads for YouTube videos about contemporary African music.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/01/bo-diddleys-1955-rock-n-roll-song-im.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post includes comments from several discussion threads of YouTube sound files or videos about how Bo Diddley pronounces the word "man" in his 1955 hit song "I'm A Man" and in his performances of that song.

That post includes comments from several discussion threads of YouTube sound files or videos about how Bo Diddley pronounces the word "man" in his 1955 hit song "I'm A Man" and in his performances of that song.

Also, Excerpt #5 of that post provides comments about Muddy Water's pronounciation of the word "man" as documented in his Blue song "Mannish Boy". Both Bo Diddley and Muddy Waters were from Mississippi. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/01/theories-about-origins-use-of-variant.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II provides my Editor's notes also provides one online excerpt and one complete reprint about the origin of or meanings of two variant colloquial spellings for the word "man" (the word "manze" in Sheng, a Pidgin language used in Kenya Tanzania, and Uganda; and the word "mehn" that is used in Nigerian Pidgin English (and elsewhere).

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/01/examples-of-variant-colloquial-words.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III documents examples of variant colloquial spelling for the word "man" from some YouTube discussion threads About Bo Diddley's "I'm A Man" Record.

The content of this post is presented for linguistic and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and a thanks to the publisher of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
DISCLAIMER:
This is only a small sample of YouTube discussion threads that have comments which include these spelling variants. 

These examples don't mean to imply that these variant spellings for "man" are only found in these genres of music.

Also, note that that vlogs that were published in the United States can have commenters who are located anywhere in the world.

****

WHAT THE WORD "MANE" MEANS & RELATED NOTES [Added Sept. 22, 2021]
"Mane" is one of several African American Vernacular English spellings for the colloquial referent "man". The word "mane" is pronounced by elongating the word "man". The letter "e" at the end isn't spoken, but is used to differentiate the slang word and pronunciation "man" from the standard English word and pronunciation "man".

 The words "mayne" and "menh" may also be pronounced the same way as noted above. However, the word "manes" or "manze" is probably pronounced "mans", sometimes meaning "one man" and sometimes meaning "more than one man". When the words "mans" (or "manse" or "manze") is used by African Americans, I believe it is often done incorrectly on purpose as a way of mimicking [for one reason or another] how some Black people talk or used to talk (particularly working class or poor Black people) or mimicking what some non-Black people think is the way many African Americans talk. As such, "mans", "manse" and "manze" are used instead of using the correct standard English words "man" or "men".

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS DISCUSSION THREADS
These excerpts are presented in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. Note that the ThatFireLA vlog is published in the United States, but largely focus on contemporary African music.

UPDATE: January 30, 2021
Since I published this pancocojams series I came across this online article https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/11/07/359345125/from-big-jues-to-tay-tay-water-a-quick-guide-to-liberian-english "From 'Big Jues' To 'Tay-Tay Water,' A Quick Guide To Liberian English" by Michaeleen Doucleff , November 7, 2014. That article  includes information about the use of the interjection "menh" in Liberia, West Africa. Here's the excerpt from that article that made me realize that I should have tried to determine which way the word "menh" or similar words were used in the selected comments below:

"Liberians tack extra sounds onto the end of phrases, like "o," "ya" or "menh." These sounds help convey the speaker's emotion.

... if someone is struggling or sad, then they would add "menh" on the end. Then the conversation would go:

 "Hello-o. How are you-o?"

 "Not bad-menh."

 "Menh" can also add a sense of frustration or disapproval. "It depends on the context," Scott Johnson says. " 'l'm going-menh' would be like, 'I've been here all day, and now it's time for me to leave.' 'Hello-menh' would mean I'm angry at the person arriving."

 And what about the ubiquitous "Oh, my goodness" in American English? "Liberians say 'Eeh-menh!' " Scott Johnson says. "It's a phrase used to express a strong emotion."....
-end of excerpt-

Since I read that article, I realize that I was so intent on identifying variant forms of the word "man" in YouTube discussion threads that I didn't take the time to indicate in this post or in other posts in this series how the variant form of the word "man" was used in those examples. For instance, sometimes the variant form of "man" could be used to refer to a specific male, and other times the variant form of man could be used as an interjection which expresses excitement or enthusiasm or some other emotion.

Some of those variant forms may have the Liberian meaning that is indicated above. Although that article doesn't say this, my guess is that the word "menh" in Liberia is a variant form of the English word "man".  Note that "Oh my goodness!" can have the same meaning as the English interjection "Oh man!".  Also, note that that article about Liberia's Pidgin English was written in 2014 and the meanings given to interjections such as "menh" may have changed since then (i.e the interjection may convey excitement and surprise now as much as it is used to add a sense of frustration or disapproval).
-snip-
So, does "menh" and "mehn" have different meanings, dependent on the African nations the person using that word is from and/or the context of that word?  

****
EXAMPLES

Khaligraph Jones -Tuma Kitu (Official Video)
Khaligraph Jones, July 23, 2020

1. Barzster Records, 2020
"@Mwakisha MW I need to buy you something manze,,like you've completely exhausted my idea,,the OG has punches he started off with rap battles and he was going hard,,and the way he switches his flow,,daang mahn,,"

**
2. walter Bryan, 2020
"I just love how Kenyans have started to  appreciate their own ..I mean menh just look at the views🔥🔥💯"

**
3. Mike's Generators, 2020
"🤣🤣🤣🤣manze unatuchomea brother,hapo Kwa nuksi za Subaru"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English
"🤣🤣🤣🤣manze you burn us brother, there For the nux of Subaru"

**
4. Naughty Felix, 2020
"kitu kali og....i love yoh music meeen ngato dak bwogi jahom"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English:
"something strong og .... i love yoh music meeen ngato dak bwogi jahom"
-snip-
"og" is the African American Vernacular English term which means "original gangsta". This is a nickname for Kenyan Hip Hop recording artist Khaligraph Jones.  One saying that Kenyans have about Khaligraph Jones is that the "Og is Og."
WOW! My First Trip to Kenyatta University!, published by ThatFireLA, Aug 6, 2020

1. Nderi Ndichu, 2020
"Hizo chapo zinakaa mbaya manze..who's  that chef?
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English:
"Those labels stay bad manze"

**
2. Waithera Waithesh, 2020
"This Dude is edger Obare's twin bro meeen they really look alike.😊😊"

**
3. GariDiaries KE, 2020
"I can't believe there's someone out there who has never tasted CHAPATIS.... Maan!,  you are missing out."

**
Excerpt #3
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAS0SZD0l5U&ab_channel=ThatFireLA 
Diamond Platnumz Ft Koffi Olomide - Waah (Official Video) ThatFireLA Reaction
ThatFireLa, Dec. 1, 2020   

1. csm csm, Dec. 2020
"Koffi is too fine mehn ,is he married😂😂 asking for myself"

**
2. Loretta Mutandi, Dec. 2020
"Whaaat!!! You dont know who Koffi is....maaan now you know!!! Thats the father of rhumba music right ther"

****
Excerpt #4
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMdXzIMiJKw&ab_channel=ThatFireLA
Tems - Try Me (Official Video) | That American Reaction,
ThatFireLA, Dec. 12, 2020  

1. Atolz, 2020
"Who was brought here by an ad?!...super cool genre!, nice vid concept!...this song going places menh

#peace"

**
2. Kiki bryce Official, 2020
"Mehn what took you so long to react to her? But is ayt👊👊"

**
3. Aiinem Myke, 2020
"The Future of Nigerian music is safe ❤️"

**
Reply
4. NARVANA MUSIC, 2020
"Its safe Mehn

Real Safe"

**
5. THE GENESIS, 2020
"Hiii Ngoma haitoki Kwa Akili meeeeeehn 😭😭❤️"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English:
"Hiii Dance Does Not Come From Mind meeeeeehn"
-snip-
"Hiii" is an expression of surprise and/or excitement.

**
6. Manuel Spice, 2020
"Mehn I love her style and she's so gorgeous! Unique voice right there."

**
7. jonny best, 2020
"Woow, woow , woow see as Tems turned me to a siren  mennn this geh is  fireeeeeeee!!!!!!"
-snip-
Woow, woow" is an expression of surprise.

"geh" is another way of spelling the word “girl”.

**
8. Oluwafemi Olawolu, 2021
"I just fully listened to this song for this first time ever and I am blown away. Always thought who sang this song is not Nigerian and now I'm just so hooked seeing this is Nigeria.

Mehn...we have gone far in the music industry!!!

Nice one TEMS... This is just the beginning!"

-snip-
Tems is a Nigerian Alté singer. According to https://www.thefolklore.com/blogs/editorial/exploring-nigerias-alte-music-scene-in-africa  "It [Alté] "generally fuses a variety of genres including, R&B, rap, indie, and dancehall."...

****
Excerpt #4
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmbzdwnpZZs&ab_channel=MavinRecords 
Ayra Starr - Away (Official Music Video), MarvinRecords, Jan.22, 2021


1. Aliu Sylvia, Jan. 2021
"Mennnh this girl is so good..."

**
2. Christopher Rachel, Jan. 2021

"Mehnnn I can't believe she's 18!!!

She be giving me goosebumps 🥺"

****
Excerpt #5 [Added Jan. 27, 2021]
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqUd72pK15Y&ab_channel=OmahLay

Omah Lay - Godly [Official Music Video]

Omah Lay, Dec. 18, 2020

1. easy Israel, 2020

"I listened to Omah Lay for the first time during his arrest in Uganda. Mehn this guy is good."

**
2. Access_Nollywood., 2021
"this dude always killing...Vibes mehnn"

****
Excerpt #6 [Added Jan 29, 2021]
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIe3g2I8WZs&ab_channel=NelNgabo
Nel Ngabo - Solo (Official Video), Jan 21, 2021

Derek Nkotanyi, Jan 2021
"Mennhhh...this so so good awesome 🔥🔥🤘🏾...mi love it...keep it up...much respect


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6 comments:

  1. Azizi PowellJanuary 25, 2021 at 8:52 AM

    Here's a reprint of a comment that I wrote in the comment section for Part III of this pancocojams series:

    As the post on variant colloquial words for "man" (Part IV of this series) suggests, I've only read a small number of African published YouTube music video discussion threads. I therefore can't make any accurate assessment about which of these words are used the most. The following is just a guess for USA originating and non-USA originating usages.

    Also, as the ThatFireLA and other reaction vlogs (such as the Mansa Mayne* reaction vlog) documents, a lot of commenters in YuTube discussion threads that are USA based are from other nations, including nations in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and elsewhere.

    That said, here's my very unscientific observations of the use in contemporary YouTube music videos discussion threads of referents for males and male referents that are used as interjections:

    1. "Bro" or "man" appear to be used the most.

    2. "Brother" is also used as well as the variant term "bruh" for "bro"

    3. "Breda", "Breeda" and "Brada" are sometimes used by non-USA commenters

    4. When "son" is used (particularly in the USA) by a male who is addressing another male who is presumably in the same age group and not older), the referent "son" is a put down, implying that the person using it is more knowledgeable (including more street smart) than the person being called "son".

    5. I don't recall "boy" being used in these discussion threads as either a direct referent or as an interjection (such as "Boy, that was great!).

    6. I recall reading a few YouTube discussion threads (from the USA) where commenters used the term "papi". But I don't recall any YouTube discussion threads that include the direct referent "daddy" or "uncle".
    7. I recall reading some comments in YouTube discussion threads (from the USA) with the referent "homeboy", but I only recall reading the referent "my homies" in a discussion thread that I believe was from the ThatFireLA reaction vlog that included a lot of Africans.)
    8. The general (male and female) referent "fam" is frequently used in a lot of these YouTube discussion threads (including by people who aren't from the USA).

    *It occurs to me that the name "Mayne" in the screen name "Mansa Mayne" may be a variant form of the word "man". "Mansa" may have come from the historical African "Mansa Musa".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Azizi PowellJanuary 25, 2021 at 9:22 AM

      I forgot to add the direct (usually male) referent "og" or "g" to the list of direct male referents (and not interjections) that are found in YouTube contemporary music video discussion threads.

      "Og" and its shortened form "g" is found in a number of YouTube contemporary music discussion threads and is not just used by Americans. Those referents come from African American Hip Hop culture with the meaning "original gangsta",i.e. "a DJ or MC who was there in the beginning of Hip Hop".

      In addition to that meaning, "og" and "g" are also used as complimentary referents.

      It appears to me (from my very limited reading) that in Kenyan Hip Hop, "og" is mostly reserved for the well regarded rapper Khaligraph Jones.

      Delete
    2. Azizi PowellJanuary 26, 2021 at 1:38 AM

      I've also seen the word "brothas" in YouTube comments as a variant form of "brothers".

      Delete
    3. Azizi PowellJanuary 27, 2021 at 8:42 AM

      Here are two examples of the use of the colloquial "g" in the discussion thread for the hit Dec. 2020 Nigerian song "Godly" by Omah Lay:

      From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqUd72pK15Y&ab_channel=OmahLay Omah Lay - Godly [Official Music Video]

      Kays Onyewuchi, Dec. 2020
      "Proud of you G."

      **
      hafeni patricio, Jan 2021
      "Best song and video ever...bless up my G. Much love from Namibia!"

      Delete
  2. Azizi PowellMarch 28, 2021 at 6:53 PM

    Here's a comment that I published in January 2021 but deleted because of a typo:

    Here's a comment that includes the word "men" as an interjection:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjwQ-XoXtAI&ab_channel=LingandLamb " Wifey tries Eba with okro soup,"Ling and Lamb, Sept. 1, 2020

    Tayo Fashina, January 2021
    "I have to concur...I love you guys Men! The chemistry is infectious.... Chemical. And the best video is how you guys meet...you should act a Nollywood movie on that...that is Pure...EPIC! Before we know it, based on this love story...9ja guys (and girls) will be the most admired in the world."
    -snip-

    This comment is from a YouTube video channel about a Nigerian man and his American (USA) wife introducing each other to their cultures.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Azizi PowellMarch 28, 2021 at 6:58 PM

    Here's a comment I happened upon that includes the word "mayne":

    From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_a75jD18Uw&ab_channel=lord3os

    tyron mcdaniel, 2017
    "1st time listening to the instrumental on this... Mannie is one of the best ever on them boards mayne.... FIYAH... a gang of continually changing melodies and layered sounds"

    ReplyDelete

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