‖dumela, interjection
/duˈmeːla/
- Forms:
- Show more Also domela, dumella, lumela, rumēela, ruméla.
- Origin:
- SeSotho, SetswanaShow more SeSotho and Setswana. The form ‘lumela’ (also pronounced /duˈmeːla/) represents the orthography of Lesotho.
‘Good day’; ‘hello’; ‘goodbye’.
- Note:
- The plural form ‘dumelang’ (see quotation 1990) is used in seSotho and seTswana when more than one person is greeted.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 431On taking leave of me at night, his usual word was, Rumēela; a polite and friendly term of greeting, often used also at meeting.
1990 City Press 1 July 15Sipho had come to buy food for his family. ‘Dumelang,’ greeted Sipho. ‘Ja, Josef, what do you want?’ said Boetie arrogantly.
‘Good day’; ‘hello’; ‘goodbye’.
- Derivatives:
- Hence (nonce) dumela transitive verb, to greet (someone) with the word ‘dumela’.1887 J.W. Matthews Incwadi Yami 374Hundreds met us on the banks of the river; the crowd, ‘lumelaing’ (saluting) us and singing and dancing their war dances.
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