‖inkosi, noun

/ɪŋˈkɔsi/
Forms:
cose, encossiShow more Also cose, encossi, enkosi, incose, incosi, ingoose, inkhosi, inkoos, inkoose, inkoosi, inkos, inkosa, inkose, inkosee, inkosu, inquose, khosi, koosi, kos, kose, kosi, kousi, nkhosa, nkhosi, n’koos, nkos, nkose, nkosi, and with initial capital.
Plurals:
inkosies, inkosis, amakhosi, or amakosi.
Origin:
IsiXhosa, isiZuluShow more IsiXhosa and isiZulu (plural prefix ama-, see ama-).
In traditional Nguni society:
1.
a. A chief or ruler; transferred sense, God. Cf. kgosi, morena sense 1 b. See also paramount.
1836 N. Isaacs Trav. (1937) II. 245When the monarch is firmly seated on his throne..he becomes an absolute king, or ‘Inquose’.
[1838 tr. of S. van der Stel in D. Moodie Record I. 419The English say that a certain chief named Ingoose wore a bracelet which was much heavier than the copper neck rings, from which circumstance they conjectured it to be gold.]
1846 J.C. Brown tr. of T. Arbousset’s Narr. of Explor. Tour to N.-E. of Col. 301As if a zula inkhosi could show clemency!
1866 W.C. Holden Past & Future 315They (the Kaffirs)..allow of no lamentation being made for a person killed by lightning; as they say it would be a sign of disloyalty to lament for one whom the inkosi had sent for.
1885 H. Rider Haggard King Solomon’s Mines 46The Inkoosi (chief) saw my face at the place of the Little Hand (Isandhlwana).
1905 Westminster Gaz. (U.K.) 8 June 2All the members of the kraals concerned will..form,..with the ‘inkosi’, his several wives and their brothers and sisters and children and dependent relatives, a formidable audience.
[1937 I. Schapera Bantu-Speaking Tribes 174At the head of the whole tribe is the Chief (Nguni inkosi; Shangana-Tonga, hosi; Venda, khosi; Sotho, morêna, kxosi.).]
1949 O. Walker Proud Zulu (1951) 235The Chiefs say: ‘the English are amakosi (chiefs), indeed, since a man may live again after they have killed him’.
1959 G. & W. Gordon tr. of F.A. Venter’s Dark Pilgrim 112He wishes he could understand..about the Great Inkosi and the Good Book from which the white man reads, but he cannot.
1990 Clarion Call Vol.1, 5The King told the chiefs that their ancestors would turn in their graves if they saw the extent to which the strapping Amakhosi and their warriors were fleeing before children.
1990 S. Sangweni in New African 16 July 1The KwaZulu government’s proposed legislation to amend laws relating to Amakhosi and Iziphakanyiswa (chiefs and dignitaries).
1994 F. Mdlalose in Natal Witness 23 Dec. 1Nothing could be more insulting to the autonomy of the province, and to the integrity and dignity of the kingdom of KwaZulu, than the notion of putting amakhosi of our kingdom on the payroll of the central government.
b. A respectful form of address or reference to a chief, ruler, or one perceived as being of superior status. Cf. kgosi, morena sense 1 a.
1827 G. Thompson Trav. 118Calling the king, Kousie, which is not his name, but his title, kousie signifying king or principal chief in their language.
1871 J. Mackenzie Ten Yrs N. of Orange River 208Khosi (chief)! you white people ought to come in here and fight with these Bechuanas, and overcome them.
1871 J. Mackenzie Ten Yrs N. of Orange River 445Addressing himself to Macheng, he said: ‘Khosi! (king), it would appear that I along of all the Bamangwato am to speak unpleasant words to you this day.’
1882 Lady F.C. Dixie In Land of Misfortune 209With the salutation ‘Inkos’ they took their departure.
1882 Lady F.C. Dixie In Land of Misfortune 341The inhabitants greeted us with smiles and obeisances, and the stately sounding salutation ‘Inkōse,’ accompanied by the hand of the speaker raised towards the heavens, met us on all sides.
1891 R. Smith Great Gold Lands 196The Zulu..hails you with just so much jocosity as he feels your bearing towards him will permit of. One arm is thrown up in the air straight, and the word pronounced is ‘Cose,’ an abbreviation of ‘Ecossi,’ or lord and master.
1900 B. Mitford John Ames 96Policeman he want to see Inkose.
1910 J. Buchan Prester John 215Courage, Inkoos; in an hour’s time you will be free.
1925 D. Kidd Essential Kafir 72‘Do you believe there is a God?’ you ask. ‘Yes, Nkos,’ he answers.
1925 E. Prov. Herald 9 July 7Deep shouts of ‘Inkoos’ greeted the Prince, and the chiefs bowing their heads to the ground clapped their hands in further Royal greeting.
1941 ‘R. Roamer’ in Bantu World 1 Feb. 4They befriend only those who ‘Yes, Nkosi’ them and try to ruin those who have moral courage to stand for themselves.
1964 G. Campbell Old Dusty 27Because, Inkosi, the white man’s head is so full of clever things he will not believe the things the black man tells.
[1977 Daily Dispatch 23 Aug. 1‘Nkosi’ was a Xhosa term of respect that had no racial connotations.]
c. Always in pl. : The spirits of the dead. Cf. idlozi.
1978 Daily Dispatch 25 Apr. 19A herbalist..said the guardian ‘amakhosi’ spirits had used Mr Nkohla T—, of Mdantsane, as an agent to assault the evil ‘mafufunyane’ spirits which had possessed Miss Kondokondo M—. Mr Woko said the gathering of mystics..called on the amakhosi to drive out the mafufunyane.
2. In the phrase inkosi inkulu/- ɪŋkuːlu//-kʊːlʊ/ [IsiXhosa and isiZulu khulu great, important], a ‘great chief’, a ‘great king’; transferred sense, God.
1835 A. Steedman Wanderings I. 255The Umkumkani is usually a lineal descendant from the first great patriarchal chieftain of the tribe, and the title of Inkose enkulu is enjoyed exclusively by himself.
1837 F. Owen Diary (1926) 44He said it was the grave of an ‘Inkosi inkulu,’ a great king who lived many years ago.
1849 R. Gray Jrnls of Two Visitations I. 42The Great Father of the Christians — the Lord Bishop..to whom all the Christians looked up as their great chief (Inkosi Inkulu) in religion, had ridden ninety miles yesterday from Graham’s Town.
1916 E. Prov. Herald 12 July 7He was the Inkoos Inkulu (King).
1959 G. & W. Gordon tr. of F.A. Venter’s Dark Pilgrim 11She..has gone before through the Dark River, but beside the great Inkosenkulu she awaits him.
c1963 B.C. Tait Durban Story 16Competition waxed among these one-time comrades — now self-appointed native chiefs — to see which could be the ‘Inkosi Inkulu’.
1967 O. Walker Hippo Poacher 110The old man quavered finally that he had been sent to find Tom by the amakosi amakula (very high chiefs).
A chief or ruler; transferred sense, God.
A respectful form of address or reference to a chief, ruler, or one perceived as being of superior status.
Always in pl. :The spirits of the dead.
In the phrase inkosi inkulu/- ɪŋkuːlu//-kʊːlʊ/ [IsiXhosa and isiZulu khulu great, important],a ‘great chief’, a ‘great king’; transferred sense, God.
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