Namlish (a portmanteau of the words Namibian and English) is a form of English spoken in Namibia.[1] The term was first recorded in 1991.[2]
English is the country's official language since independence in 1990. Because it is the second or third language for the majority of the Namibians, local usage can vary significantly from usage elsewhere in the English-speaking world. Namibian English, or Namlish, shares many similarities with South African English, having been influenced both by Afrikaans and indigenous African languages.
Namlish comes from literal translations, mostly from Oshiwambo, Kavango languages and Afrikaans, but occasionally from Damara, Herero or other tribal languages. Namlish is generally spoken by the Oshiwambo and Kavango speaking people. In the Oshiwambo language, the "l" and "r" are exchanged. In Kavango, they are not exchanged.
Example 1: "I'm coming now" comes from the Afrikaans saying "Ek kom nou," as well as the Oshiwambo saying, "Onde ya paife."
Example 2: When people are greeting another, they occasionally say "yes sir" which is translated exactly from the Afrikaans saying, "ja meneer."
Example 3: Namlish speakers often use only the present continuous, or present progressive aspect of a verb at times when native English speakers would employ the present simple. This is due, in part, to direct translation from Oshiwambo and Kavango to English. In Oshiwambo and Kavango, the verb form remains the same in either case. Whenever someone wants to indicate possession of anything, he or she "is having" that particular object. The same goes for use of the past continuous tense in the place of the simple past.
Example 4: When people ask time they often say "how late is it?" which is translated from Afrikaans "Hoe laat is dit?" and German "Wie spät ist es?".
Example 5: Some of the Oshiwambo speaking people would say "Led" instead of "Red".
Example 6: When asking how you are doing, Namibians would say, "Whatz up" which comes from the word "weni" from Kavango.
Some observations
Many Namibians repeat single-word responses twice, e.g. "Hi hi", "Fine fine" and "Sharp sharp" are all common responses in casual conversation.
Upon asking How are you? Namlish speakers will greet you with Yes! or Yebo!Yebo comes from Zulu, which is an emphatic "yes" said throughout southern Africa.
Directions can be very vague: That side is usually the answer.
This one and that one are frequently used to talk about children and elderly people.
'I'm coming now now', 'I'm coming just now', 'I'm coming right now': All rather vague variations regarding time. Each repetition of the word "now" represents a closer approximation of the typical English "now". Three repetitions of the word is generally the most you will hear. It usually means a minute or less before the activity in question begins.
"I'm coming" can mean numerous things. Usually, it means "I'm leaving and coming back within 5 minutes or not at all". Whereas "I'm coming now now" means "I'm coming right back now for sure".
The word "somehow" is used to describe an event that was all-right, average, or unexceptional. When asked about a day, weekend, holiday, etc., Namibians often respond by saying it was "somehow". (Namibians frequently use, as in this instance, an adverb in place of an adjective. Another example of this is the use of the word "better". When asked about an exam, the response is often simply, "Better". What it is better than is never specified.)
Whenever asking "How are you?", nearly always the answer is "fine".
When talking about something small, Namibians use "ka..." (kaboy: small/little boy, kathing: something small in size).
Words like "kutja" (pronounced as kusha) or Kama/kamastag are used instead of "apparently".
First names and surnames become confused, e.g. Peter Smith can be referred to as Mr. Peter, not Mr. Smith.
Pronunciation
As Namlish is its own dialect of English, it has its own pronunciation of English words. For instance, clothes is almost always pronounced with two syllables. Even Hifikepunye Pohamba (Namibia's former president) pronounces it this way.[4]
^Amupadhi, Tangeni (12 August 2002). "Pohamba's Namlish Offers Light Relief". The Namibian.
May 05, 2023
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Namlish a portmanteau of the words Namibian and English is a form of English spoken in Namibia 1 The term was first recorded in 1991 2 English is the country s official language since independence in 1990 Because it is the second or third language for the majority of the Namibians local usage can vary significantly from usage elsewhere in the English speaking world Namibian English or Namlish shares many similarities with South African English having been influenced both by Afrikaans and indigenous African languages Contents 1 Examples of Namlish 1 1 Vocabulary 1 2 Expressions 2 Literal translations 3 Some observations 4 Pronunciation 5 See also 6 ReferencesExamples of Namlish EditVocabulary Edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it April 2010 Namlish English NotesBaas Afrikaans Boss submissive appellation towards a male employer Babelas as verb and noun Afrikaans having a hangoverBakkie Pick up truckBiltong Dried meat jerkyBraai Afrikaans A barbecue or social grilling eventCucca Shop A bar The name was derived from a beer once sold in Angola 3 Eish Oh my goodness expression of surprise shock disdain etc Meme Mother term of respect towards older womenOom Afrikaans uncle term of respect towards older menRobot Traffic lightsShebeen Bar or clubTekkies SneakersExpressions Edit Namlish English Noteshoezit What s up A common greeting Is it Really Are we together Is it clear Do you understand me This expression is used a lot in meetings and workshops The first expression is also used in other varieties of English such as British English I will do that now now I will do it in a minute Doubling words emphasises their literal meaning and what what et cetera probably from the idiom and whatnot Used a lot in meetings and workshops and what what It s na It s ok It s great It has a tongue click sound common in native languages How is the morning How are you Comes from Oshiwambo Walalepo The time is going We re running out of time So Otherwise Apart from the obvious how are you Used as a greeting to fill a gap in a conversation somehow as an adjective so soLiteral translations EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed April 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Namlish comes from literal translations mostly from Oshiwambo Kavango languages and Afrikaans but occasionally from Damara Herero or other tribal languages Namlish is generally spoken by the Oshiwambo and Kavango speaking people In the Oshiwambo language the l and r are exchanged In Kavango they are not exchanged Example 1 I m coming now comes from the Afrikaans saying Ek kom nou as well as the Oshiwambo saying Onde ya paife Example 2 When people are greeting another they occasionally say yes sir which is translated exactly from the Afrikaans saying ja meneer Example 3 Namlish speakers often use only the present continuous or present progressive aspect of a verb at times when native English speakers would employ the present simple This is due in part to direct translation from Oshiwambo and Kavango to English In Oshiwambo and Kavango the verb form remains the same in either case Whenever someone wants to indicate possession of anything he or she is having that particular object The same goes for use of the past continuous tense in the place of the simple past Example 4 When people ask time they often say how late is it which is translated from Afrikaans Hoe laat is dit and German Wie spat ist es Example 5 Some of the Oshiwambo speaking people would say Led instead of Red Example 6 When asking how you are doing Namibians would say Whatz up which comes from the word weni from Kavango Some observations EditMany Namibians repeat single word responses twice e g Hi hi Fine fine and Sharp sharp are all common responses in casual conversation Upon asking How are you Namlish speakers will greet you with Yes or Yebo Yebo comes from Zulu which is an emphatic yes said throughout southern Africa Directions can be very vague That side is usually the answer This one and that one are frequently used to talk about children and elderly people I m coming now now I m coming just now I m coming right now All rather vague variations regarding time Each repetition of the word now represents a closer approximation of the typical English now Three repetitions of the word is generally the most you will hear It usually means a minute or less before the activity in question begins I m coming can mean numerous things Usually it means I m leaving and coming back within 5 minutes or not at all Whereas I m coming now now means I m coming right back now for sure The word somehow is used to describe an event that was all right average or unexceptional When asked about a day weekend holiday etc Namibians often respond by saying it was somehow Namibians frequently use as in this instance an adverb in place of an adjective Another example of this is the use of the word better When asked about an exam the response is often simply Better What it is better than is never specified Whenever asking How are you nearly always the answer is fine When talking about something small Namibians use ka kaboy small little boy kathing something small in size Words like kutja pronounced as kusha or Kama kamastag are used instead of apparently First names and surnames become confused e g Peter Smith can be referred to as Mr Peter not Mr Smith Pronunciation EditAs Namlish is its own dialect of English it has its own pronunciation of English words For instance clothes is almost always pronounced with two syllables Even Hifikepunye Pohamba Namibia s former president pronounces it this way 4 See also EditGerman language in Namibia Chinglish Engrish Germish Spanglish TinglishReferences Edit www namibian org Namlish Lambert James 2018 A multitude of lishes The nomenclature of hybridity English World wide 39 1 28 DOI 10 1075 eww 38 3 04lam Namibia Official Language namibian org Amupadhi Tangeni 12 August 2002 Pohamba s Namlish Offers Light Relief The Namibian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Namlish amp oldid 1138447785, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
