‖bonga, verb
/ˈbɔːŋɡa/
- Origin:
- IsiXhosa, isiZuluShow more IsiXhosa and isiZulu.
1.
a. transitive. To laud or to criticize (someone, something, or some action), through the medium of declaimed poetry.
1937 [see sense 2].
1970 M. Kunene Zulu Poems 13African..poets did not only praise socially approved acts, but condemned socially repugnant ones as well. The word ‘bonga’ (to praise)..is exchangeable with the word condemn.
b. intransitive. To perform a declamatory poem.
1983 Grocott’s Mail 18 Mar. 14The Xhosas love and respect their poets. In the old days when the chief’s council was stuck with a difficult issue, the ‘mbongi’ would be called to ‘bonga’ loudly.
2. combination
1937 B.H. Dicke Bush Speaks 35After the konza-names come ‘bonga’-names (praise-names) which are mostly animal names.
To laud or to criticize (someone, something, or some action), through the medium of declaimed poetry.
To perform a declamatory poem.
praise name.
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