now-now, adverb

Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Calque formed on Afrikaans nou-nou in a moment, a moment ago.
colloquial
Note:
Reduplication is common in South African English: see also bok-bok, footsie-footsie, kiep-kiep (kiep sense 1 b), klip-klip, kwela-kwela, pata-pata, play-play, tsaba-tsaba, voetjie-voetjie.
1. In the immediate past, ‘a moment ago’. See also note at just now.
1948 A. Paton Cry, Beloved Country 85They have been here. It was now, now, that they left.
1960 C. Hooper Brief Authority 330‘When did it happen?’ ‘Now, Father, now-now-now. Almost this minute.’
2. In the immediate future, ‘in a moment’. See also just now.
1970 J.R. Bennett Informant, KrugersdorpI’m going to town now now.
1971 N. Gordimer Guest of Honour 78The bar would open now now.
1979 W. Ebersohn Lonely Place 164The spare keys are in Lieutenant’s key cabinet. We’ll fetch them now-now.
1984 Sunday Times 15 July 17He addressed the bar waiter, and ordered three lamb chops..‘Pronto and now-now,’ he said.
1986 D. Case Love, David 31I won’t be long. You’ll see, I’ll be back now-now.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 302The gravel road had been recently widened and graded...‘The gov’ment is fixing it up now-now for all the peoples coming to be living here.’
1990 Estcourt High School Mag. No.49, 17After many months of careful observation I think I am safe in defining ‘now’ as meaning ‘soon’, ‘now now’ as meaning ‘in a few minutes’, ‘now, now, now’ as meaning ‘now’, and finally ‘just now’ as meaning ‘later’.
1991 Informant, Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), Eastern CapeShe’s waiting for her husband — he’s coming now-now.
In the immediate past, ‘a moment ago’.
In the immediate future, ‘in a moment’.
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19481991
no what, adverbial phraseadv. phr.NP, nounn.
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