‖bawo, noun

/ˈbɑːwɔ/
Origin:
IsiXhosaShow more IsiXhosa, vocative case of ubawo father.
Usually among isiXhosa-speaking people: ‘father’; used also as a title or term of address or reference. Cf. baba noun2.
1949 L. Hunter Afr. Dawn 60‘I should have known that no son of mine would take part in heathen practices.’ Nomhle laughed. ‘Yes, Bawo,..I was suprised that you did not let him explain to you.’
1963 Wilson & Mafeje Langa 87Bawo is now used by a man to his father, formally, and to no one else...Tata is used in the extended sense by both men and women, for father’s brothers and senior men, but not bawo as it was traditionally.
1963 A.M. Louw 20 Days 129The child..began to cry shrilly. The mother put him down and shouted: ‘It is that he sees the spirit of his bawo — father.’
1976 R.L. Peteni Hill of Fools 67Bawo Langa, why don’t you act with firmness in this? Surely you have the right to order your daughter to honour her promise?
1984 M. Cilibe in Staffrider Vol.6 No.1, 3‘Mdange! Mdange!’ the old man called...Mdange appeared from the door, quivering, his eyes bloodshot...‘You were calling me, Bawo?’ asked Mdange rhetorically.
‘father’; used also as a title or term of address or reference.
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IsiXhosa
baviaan’s touw, noun phrasen. phr.Bay, nounn.
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