‖Amangesi, plural noun

/amaˈnɡeːsi//amaˈŋɡeːsi//amaˈnɡeːzi//amaˈŋɡeːzi/
Forms:
Also Amagesi, Amaglezi, and with medial capital.
Origin:
IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, EnglishShow more IsiXhosa amaNgesi (singular iNgesi), isiZulu amaNgisi (singular iNgisi), adaptation of English English.
obs. except in historical contexts
Among speakers of Nguni languages: the English; English-speakers.
1852 H. Ward Jasper Lyle 176The Kafirs chuckled at hearing that the Amabulu [printed Amahulu] and the Amaglezi — (the Boers and the English) — were ‘barking at each other like dogs.’
1855 G. Brown Personal Adventure 250All the spruits of the Keiskama..are being scoured by the ‘Amagesi’ — English.
1981 B. Mfenyana in M. Mutloatse Reconstruction 299And then AmaNgesi came to Anglicise everybody, resulting in Fanakalo, African and Boere English.
the English; English-speakers.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18521981

Browse Related Words

By Category

Language

By Origin

IsiXhosa
IsiZulu

By Usage

obsolete or obsolescent
amandla, interjectionint.amasoka, plural nounpl. n.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English.