baba, noun2

/ˈbaːba/
Forms:
bab’, babeShow more Also bab’, babe, babo.
Origin:
IsiZuluShow more IsiZulu, vocative case of ubaba father (plural obaba).
Especially among isiZulu-speakers: ‘father’; used when speaking to or of an older black male who is not necessarily related to the speaker. Cf. bawo, Ntate, tata.
Note:
Also used in English in other African countries, derived from the equivalent word in other Sintu (Bantu) languages.
1. Used as a respectful term of address.
1836 A.F. Gardiner Journey to Zoolu Country 91Bāba — (Father) — used in reply, as ‘Yearbo Bāba,’ ‘Yes, Father.’ The same term is also used by inferiors of all ranks to them above them.
1857 J. Shooter Kafirs of Natal 97The normal government is patriarchal, a tribe being only a larger family, of which the chief may be regarded as father: ‘baba’, my father, is in fact, one of the titles by which he is addressed.
1875 D. Leslie Among Zulus 80He was greeted with a perfect storm of ‘Bayete’ and ‘Yebo Baba.’
1899 B. Mitford Weird of Deadly Hollow 234‘Ewa ’Nkose — Hau! Baba’ replied the woman, showing a splendid set of ‘ivories’ as she caught the piece of tobacco he flung at her. [Note] ‘Baba’, lit. ‘father’ — a Kaffir form of expressing thanks.
1941 Barrett & Benson in Bantu World 22 Feb. 5Inside the bus he still shows the passenger ‘Plenty more seats at the back baba,’ all the time busy dodging the poor man by drawing out his wallet from the inside of his (the passenger’s) coat.
1952 A.S. Massiye in Drum July 23‘Baba, the bride-price..is..killing me,’ she cried.
1964 Drum Nov. 19He kept muttering: ‘Baba, Baba’ to his proud father.
1973 J. Cope Alley Cat 38‘Baba!’ the child whispered...Her father went down on one knee.
1989 L. Maimane in Staffrider Vol.8 No.1, 23‘What’s the matter, baba?’ the nurse asked nonchalantly, tilting her head.
1990 Sunday Times 12 Aug. 7I am agonising over how to address the man. Madiba, Comrade Nelson, Baba (Father), Chief, Com (short for comrade) — there is such a plethora of salutations in use here that plain Mr Mandela sounds out of place.
1994 TV1, 31 Aug. (Honeytown)‘Guys, I want this concert to be real hot!’ ‘Right, baba.’
2. Used as a title, usually before a name, occasionally with a common noun.
1975 Sunday Times 2 Nov. (Mag. Sect.) 2Baba Piet shouted at me and kicked me out of his office. As I was walking away he yelled: ‘Hey tsotsi, do you want a job?’ I have worked for him ever since.
1982 Drum Mar. 38Cry Babies. Ingrates who just can’t appreciate what everloving baba mlungu is doing for them.
c1985 G. Hippert in Eng. Alive 55It hurts baba to be confronted by a white in metallic blue — demanding identification.
1987 Learn & Teach No.5, 17I knocked on the door for Bab’uMantshingelane to let me in.
1987 M. Melamu Children of Twilight 277It was an all-weekend affair, and was the noisiest show on earth. Certainly, at Wanderers it relegated Baba Mkhize’s Zionist sessions to second place.
1987 M. Melamu Children of Twilight 278Baba Mkhize, who took umbrage at these activities of the devil, as he described them, when he was about God’s work.
3. Used as a common noun, sometimes in the deferential mode in which the one being spoken to is addressed in the third person.
1976 A. Delius Border 266I greeted her, and she said, ‘Am I grown so old then, the Baba does not know me?’
1981 M. Mutloatse in Staffrider Vol.3 No.4, 41‘It can’t be! Father! My long-lost Baba!’ a man exclaimed.
1987 L. Beake Strollers 56Inside the hut, her husband, Johnny’s own Baba, snored gently.
1989 L. Beake Cageful of Butterflies 32His own Baba still had many fine, white teeth.
4. In combination
baba-ka- [IsiZulu -ka- of], ‘father of’; placed before the name of a child of the person addressed, and used respectfully.
1971 Drum Aug. 53Hey baba-ka-Mbutana, the money is too much in the house. We must do something about it.
‘father’; used when speaking to or of an older black male who is not necessarily related to the speaker.
Used as a respectful term of address.
Used as a title, usually before a name, occasionally with a common noun.
Used as a common noun, sometimes in the deferential mode in which the one being spoken to is addressed in the third person.
, ‘father of’; placed before the name of a child of the person addressed, and used respectfully.
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18361994

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baba-ka-

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IsiZulu
baasskap, nounn.babala, nounn.
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