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This word is apparently taken from one of the many African languages.
It was found in a video with subtitles, and in the subtitle the word was explicitly defined; however, I've done extensive searches and cannot locate the definition of the word OR confirm its authenticity.
If you know the definition of this word, please...
CITE YOUR SOURCE(S), i.e., dictionary, encyclopedia, lexicon (of indigenous language or general).

The word is: BHULU or "AMA BHULU".

Thanks!

2006-08-11 23:25:21 · 6 answers · asked by Specious λ Neurotica 3 in Travel Africa & Middle East South Africa

And Josh still can't follow instructions.

BTW, Google is merely a search engine and not a dictionary, encyclopedia, lexicon, etc.

2006-08-11 23:38:32 · update #1

Porgie, thank you for laying the foundation for the origin for "amabhulu".
I located a document that uses the word in the context you've presented (http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/37a/023.html).
The video I mentioned above was one with President Mandela singing words to the effect that white people will be killed. Knowing what I do, albeit from writings and news coverage, of this great man I could not accept that he would utter such sentiments.
The words he sings as he stands alongside white people are from a freedom song, pre-Apartheid in origin, that says the boers (amabhulu) must be killed. For further information on the boers, for those who wish to do so, please research their history since space here will not allow a full and complete history.
A few people here in Yahoo! Answers have pointed to that video located on YouTube (via Google links).
Please take a moment when things of this sort are presented to research that material.
White racists are linking to that vid.

2006-08-12 08:45:52 · update #2

6 answers

It does in fact mean "white people".

Black South Africans used to and some still call "white South Africans" boer. It's a word derived from the Afrikaans word for farmer. They used this because mainly all farms historically belonged to "white South Africans". For that reason it is meant to be offensive as it indirectly means "somebody who is uncultured and lives off the land". Indeed someone who doesn't know anything about city life.

"Ama" is the Xhosa prefix that means "a lot of"
"bhulu" is the Xhosa word for "boer"

The Xhosa people have a difficult time pronouncing "R", because the Xhosa pronounce this letter as the "ch" in Reich. They therefore substituted the "r" at the end of "boer" with the letter ''L". Koreans are also known to do this for the sake of easier pronunciation. Lastly the "oe" sound is in fact "oo" as in moo or goo. The Xhosa people substituted this sound with the letter "u".

So a direct translation should really be "boers", the plural for "boer"

Definition of "boer": (NOUN: A Dutch colonist or descendant of a Dutch colonist in South Africa. ETYMOLOGY: Afrikaans, from Dutch, farmer, from Middle Dutch gheboer, peasant; see bheu- in Indo-European roots)

And that's the story of "amabhulu". Some may find it offensive and some may translate it as negative.

2006-08-12 00:04:45 · answer #1 · answered by Porgie 7 · 15 1

Prefix Meaning White

2016-10-15 23:37:21 · answer #2 · answered by mattsson 4 · 0 0

White people

2006-08-11 23:30:47 · answer #3 · answered by Billy 4 · 1 1

white people

2006-08-11 23:32:20 · answer #4 · answered by paulbaby 3 · 1 1

I have heard the word before and knew it was from "boer", but now I know where it comes from - thanks.

2006-08-12 01:27:49 · answer #5 · answered by confused 4 · 3 0

It means White people, you already asked this!

EDIT: well if you are such the expert on finding the meaning, then stop asking people to find it for you. If you can't accept legitimate answers given to you, then don't ask the question. There were multiple hits on google that stated that meaning. If that's not good enough for you then stop complaining about how people can't find the answer for you, find it yourself!!!

2006-08-11 23:30:42 · answer #6 · answered by Josh 4 · 1 6

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