Honorary White, adjectival phrase and & noun phrase
- Forms:
- Also with small initials.
historical
A. adjectival phrase Of a person: not a member of the White group by descent, but given certain rights normally reserved for members of the White group under apartheid laws (such as the right to reside or carry out business in ‘White’ areas). See also white adjective sense 1 a.
- Note:
- Used especially of people of Japanese origin or descent (who were allowed most of the rights which the White group had), and people of Chinese origin or descent (who had the right to use certain amenities usually reserved for White people). Such rights were granted during the apartheid era from the 1960s onwards, and the nature and extent of the rights changed over time.
1965 D. Marais Ag, Sis Man! (cartoon)Greetings. I am Honorary White man. Old South African tradition.
1992 E. Prov. Herald 11 Mar. 4Chinese South Africans were not allowed to vote, even though they had been given honorary white status under a number of recently-scrapped apartheid laws.
B. noun phrase One who is not registered as ‘White’ according to apartheid laws, but who is given rights normally reserved for a member of the White group; a Japanese person. Hence (nonce) Honorary Whitemanship noun phrase, the status of being an ‘Honorary White’.
1970 Drum Sept. 8We introduced the fantastic title of Honorary White to these oriental buyers...Their Indonesian crew were liberally showered with Honorary Whitemanship to overcome the all-too-true fact that they looked like any of the locals.
1976 A.P. Brink Mapmakers (1983) 129Because Japan has enormous trade agreements with South Africa..Japanese are regarded — for the duration of the contracts — as ‘honorary whites’.
not a member of the White group by descent, but given certain rights normally reserved for members of the White group under apartheid laws (such as the right to reside or carry out business in ‘White’ areas).
One who is not registered as ‘White’ according to apartheid laws, but who is given rights normally reserved for a member of the White group; a Japanese person.
Chrome
Firefox
Internet Explorer
Safari