‖amajoni, plural noun
- Forms:
- Also jonis, majoni.
- Origin:
- IsiXhosa, isiZulu, EnglishShow more IsiXhosa and isiZulu, ‘soldiers’, plural prefix ama- + joni adaptation of English Johnny.
1. In historical contexts. British soldiers. See also rooibaadjie sense 1.
1967 E. Rosenthal Encycl. of Sn Afr. 16Amajoni, Native nickname for British soldiers, derived from the word ‘Johnnie’.
2. Any soldiers.
1973 Informant, George, Eastern CapeOh madam please lend me five bob. Amajoni stole all my Pick and Pay (sc. groceries).
1990 L. Jamjam Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)Wellington doesn’t know English properly — when he says to Robbie ‘here come soldiers’ he says ‘here come jonis’.
British soldiers.
Any soldiers.
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