| 释义 |
umlungu, n. and a. S. Afr. (now freq. derogatory or ironic, esp. as used by black writers).
Brit. |ʊmˈlʊnguː|, U.S. |ʊmˈlʊngu|, S. Afr. |ʊmˈlʊnguː|, |ʊmˈlʊngʊ|
Freq. with capital initial.[Plural] -s unchanged; see also Abelungu n.
Forms: 18 umlunga, 18 umlungo, 18 umlungi[plural], 18– umlungu, 18– uMlungu
[‹ Xhosa and Zulu umlungu (see mlungu n. and adj.).]
A. n.
1. = mlungu n. Now somewhat offensive, esp. as a form of address.
1859‘B.’ in Cape Monthly Mag. (Cape Town) Jan. 43 These princesses came to beg a present from the Umlungu (white man). 1879A. Aylward Transvaal of Today 202 The black villain saluted me as ‘Umlunga’ (white man) although he could plainly see by my dress I was an Inkosi and a teacher. 1889H. A. Bryden Kloof & Karroo 63 It could only have been English ūmlūngos or drunken men who would have taken the drift on such a night. 1910J. Angove In Early Days 68 They would get as many diamonds as they could, in order to ingratiate themselves with the ‘umlungu’, who took such a great interest in them. 1940F. B. Young City of Gold 114 Where are you going and what do you want here, Umlungu? 1955J. B. Shephard Land of Tikoloshe 76 If I called him ‘Kaffir’ he would, quite rightly, think I was being rude, and then he would probably call me ‘Umlungu’—White man—and that would be rude too. 1992Weekend Mercury (Durban) 4 Jan. 6 Everyone seemed to be having far too good a time to worry about two stray umlungus.
2. With sing. concord. White people collectively.
1949T. Mofolo Chaka Zulu xxv. 125 It is your hope that by killing me you will become chiefs when I am dead. But your hopes are false, for Umlungu will come, and it is he who will rule, and you will be his slaves. 1952H. Klein Land of Silver Mist 71 He told him how the white man, the umlungu, had conquered the Zulu armies, but had never broken the Zulu spirit. 1959L. Longmore Dispossessed 245 Umlungu (the white man)! Don't tell me about him... He stabs you in order to stitch you up. 1976Jrnl. Southern Afr. Stud. 2 138 In Sol Plaatje's Mhudi..uMlungu makes his entry for the first time in South African black literature. The Boers appear, trekking North. 1999Los Angeles Times (Nexis) 26 May a1 You can tell everyone we are living just like the umlungu.
B. adj. Of a person: white. Cf. mlungu adj. rare.
1976A. Delius Border 195 The Fundees and his ‘umlungu’ companion. |