Talk:Namlish
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This page is wrong in so many ways it just needs to be burnt to the ground and redone. This was clearly just written by some over-eager PCV.
"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."
I don't like the implication of uniformity of the English language. I don't think the author has been to England.
"Are we together?"
I wouldn't regard this as namlish. I hear people say this all the time in the midwestern USA.
"I’m coming now now", "and what what"
Should generalize. Namlish speakers have a tendancy to repeat words for a variety of reasons. I'm sure this comes from Afrikaans (I've heard both Bantu and Khoisan speakers do it), but not knowing any Afrikaans speakers that aren't Namibians I can't say for sure.
"Is it?"
Should note the emphesis on "is".
"How is the morning? How are you? Comes from Oshiwambo, Walalepo?"
Wow, didn't take long to break out the Ovambo world view. Namibia is very diverse -- this is like saying that Americas say "y'all" instead of "you". If you're going to break this into more regional dialects you should do it explicitally. In my experience, what Namibians call Namlish is almost exclusivly derived from Afrikaans and British English. Other regional dialogs exist (just like they do everywhere else), but despite what the Ovambos might tell you they are _not_ the whole of Namibia.
This article needs to be rewritten by a linguist or removed.
The phrases referred to, is also commonly used by Africans and Afrikaans and Enhlish speaking South Africans in South Africa and are influenced by the Afrikaans language, which originated mainly from the Dutch and English languages.
The explanation for “Are we together?” is correct and can also be translated as “Are we on the same wave length”.
The explanation for “now now” is somewhat correct. It comes from the Afrikaans term “nou-nou”, which can mean “right now” or “a little later”. Should you say “ I’m coming now now”, it will mean “ You go on, I’ll come just now / shortly after you”.
With reference to the phrase “Yes, my dear”, it is uncommon as a greeting in South Africa. It is rather used when your name is called by someone. It does not mean “Ja, meneer” (“Yes, sir”), as pointed out by the editor, but exactly what it says.
12 April, 2007
The first commenter made several good points, and several not-so-good ones.
--->"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."
--->I don't like the implication of uniformity of the English language. I don't think the author has been to England.
--->"Are we together?"
--->I wouldn't regard this as namlish. I hear people say this all the time in the midwestern USA.
I agree with each point.
--->"I’m coming now now", "and what what"
--->Should generalize. Namlish speakers have a tendancy to repeat words for a variety of reasons. I'm sure this comes from Afrikaans (I've heard both Bantu and Khoisan speakers do it), but not knowing any Afrikaans speakers that aren't Namibians I can't say for sure.
Why are you so sure this comes from Afrikaans? Are words repeated in this manner in Dutch or British English? Isn't it plausible, or even more likely, that Afrikaans-speakers picked this practice up from the African languages around them? (examples in Oshiwambo - nawa nawa, paife paife, unene nene, kashona shona)
--->"Is it?"
--->Should note the emphesis on "is".
So true!
--->"How is the morning? How are you? Comes from Oshiwambo, Walalepo?"
--->Wow, didn't take long to break out the Ovambo world view. Namibia is very diverse -- this is like saying that Americas say "y'all" instead of "you". If you're going to break this into more regional dialects you should do it explicitally. In my experience, what Namibians call Namlish is almost exclusivly derived from Afrikaans and British English.
Considering that you just took the effort to point out that Namibia is so diverse - does it really make sense to say that, "what Namibians call Namlish is almost exclusively derived from Afrikaans and British English"? I once had a conversation with an Afrikaans-speaker who said, "Help me a piece of chewing gum." It might be easy to assume that this comes directly from a European language (which it may) but it seems more plausible to come from a Bantu language (for example, Oshiwambo speakers say Kwathelandje - which literally means, "help me" and is the most polite of three common ways of asking for something).
--->Other regional dialogs exist (just like they do everywhere else), but despite what the Ovambos might tell you they are _not_ the whole of Namibia.
Are you serious? Do you suggest that the Ovambos speak with a uniform, collective voice proclaiming that they are the whole of Namibia?
--->The explanation for “now now” is somewhat correct. It comes from the Afrikaans term “nou-nou”, which can mean “right now” or “a little later”. Should you say “ I’m coming now now”, it will mean “ You go on, I’ll come just now / shortly after you”.
See my earlier comment - I question your assertion of the origin of this style of repetition. Also, Oshiwambo-speakers say "Onde ya paife" which means, literally, "I'm coming now" and signifies intent to return soon.
FYI: I used Oshiwambo examples not to "break out the Ovambo worldview" but because it is the Namibian/Bantu language I am most familiar with. Oshiwambo obviously shares many similarities with the other Bantu-based languages spoken in Namibia.
This is all wrong,there is a silent notion in this that says namibians do not know proper english .To the best of my knowledge namlish is slang ,because most namibians are bilingual namlish was created ,it does not come from one particular language and is meant to make a conversation more colourful.
[edit] Original research
it seems to me that by far most of this page is original research. Unless references can be found to source the article, we may have to stub it down to nothing but the lead section. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 18:45, 11 December 2007 (UTC)
