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something else:

is there an "english" word for the term "wildebeest"?
It is used in all english-speaking countries, isn`t it?

I always found it weird that this afrikaans-term was adopted by other countries that don`t have anything to do with afrikaans

How come?


Or am I wrong?

Wildebeest = Gnu

oh I thought that`s only german

thanks rusky!


well then I picked the wrong example... what I meant is also related to aardvark or duiker or steenbok which are also used everywhere despite lacking any connection to "afrikaans culture"

Safrica, Rusky is correct. The Wildebeest is also known as Gnu. This further complicates your question because gnu is a Khoi word, in other words it also originated in the Cape and actually refers to the White Tailed Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) also known as the Black Wildebeest. This species only occurs in the central parts of South Africa. Gnu referred to the sound it make, a metallic ringing snort (Signs of the Wild. Clive Walker)
It seems some of the old Dutch/Afrikaans names stuck and was adapted elsewhere as well, off hand we can also think of Klipspringer and Boomslang as obvious examples.

What is the origin of the name "Dik Dik' ?

And the English?

I found this, Billy.

So maybe dik-dik is the term in English too

I got hold of 'Die soogdiergids van Suider-Afrika' by Burger Cillié. It is in Afrikaans but gives the common English name. Damara Dik-dik in both languages. Gives an Afrikaans alternative - Bloubokkie.

Ironic how "Aardvark" is the first entry in most ENGLISH dictionaries!

That is our small revenge for losing one of the Boer wars...

It is only natural for English (or any other) language to adopt a word if it does not already have it in its voacbularly. Most of the animals that we have referred to are endemic to Southern Africa only. Hence the afrikaans names would have been inculcated.

This occured with English colonisation all over the world.
For example some Indian (hindi) words that have made it into english - bungalow, verandah, pyjamas, jungle, thug, randy, tiffin.

shampoo is arabic

Interesting isn't it?

I still have to laugh about the Krimpvarkies (shrunk pigs) = Hedgehog!

Interesting indeed rusky...what is tiffen..the rest I know...

Very interesting subject...

skilpad actually comes from the Dutch "schildpad" meaning "shield frog", which I find quite nice and descriptive. It is the same in German (Schildkröte).

Vlakvark actually comes from Vlakte-vark (plain pig - plain as in wide open space). Also very descriptive.

Luiperd comes from the Dutch luipaard, which in turn comes from the Latin "leopardus", which means spotted lion.

And finally, dassie comes from the Dutch dasje, which means "small badger".

I actually love the Afrikaans animal names, they are so more descriptive and creative (ok, sometimes also more weird) than the English names.

But my favourite is still the Sable Antelope name in Afrikaans: Swartwitpens. I mean, how more descriptive can you get!

Some of the animal names in the African languages are even more descriptive...

A warm welcome, Trencalos!

You obviously know what you're talking about!

Any ideas on "akkedis", and "koggelmander", for that matter!

(Lizard and Tree Agama)

Descriptive animal names:Springbok,nagapie and springhaas

Descriptive indeed ...

literally translated it makes sense but doesn't sound so good

Springbok - jump buck
nagapie - night monkey
springhaas - jump quick ("haas" is an Afrikaans word expressing the speed with which one moves ... to make haste)