[Ads-l] early "buddy"

[Z S]

I consulted the Random House book that Lighter suggested. The
aforementioned book lists, “childish or dial *buddy* ’brother’” as the
etymology for the US *buddy* and “Originally Black English; ‘a friend or
comrade; […] a comrade in arms’” as the definition.

Similarly in an online post, the Oxford Dictionary suggests that the
English *brother* is the origin of the US *buddy*:

*Such is the case with the entries for buddy and bro, both of which
ultimately trace their roots back to brother.* Source:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210326154429/https://blog.oup.com/2016/04/brothers-buddies-bros-oed-update/

Both publications note that the original usage is found among the Black
populations of the Americas. However, neither publication suggests an
African origin for the US *buddy*. Since the early attestations of *buddy*
occur among Black speakers, I consulted the African languages.

I maintain that the origin of *buddy* as it occurs in the United States, is
not from the English *brother*, but is in fact from the Kikongo language
from the Kikongo *mbaːdi* ‘comrade’, ‘friend’, ‘brother’, ‘pair’ Laman
1936, 525 s.v. *mbàadi*; ‘a couple of things which always go in pairs’
Bentley 1895, 945.  The word-initial *m-* is a prefix, with *baːdi*, itself
likely derived from the Kikongo *waːdi* ‘two’ Laman 1936, 1090 s.v. *wàadi.*


There are various cognates in the many dialects of the Kikongo language,
including *mbari*, *mbaːzi*, *mbaːsi*, and *mbudi*.

Interestingly, all of the specific meanings, compound forms (e.g.,
*buddy-girl*, *buddy-boy* / *-jí*), and nuance found in the US *buddy*
(including the military *buddy system*, etc) is found in the Kikongo
*mbaːdi*. The following extracts are taken from Kikongo sources, including
*mbaːdi*, *mbari*, and so on:



(From "Aus dem Märchenschatz der Bakongo (Niederkongo)" by P. Ivo Struyf)


1. *E mbadi ya Ngundu Nkunga…*

[P. Ivo Struyf’s Gloss: “He, mein Fruend Ngundu Nkunga…”]

(German *mein Freund* ‘my friend’)



2.  *Mbadi ndumba** mpe k’amwana mu fina mpaka ko, gogele nde:…*

[P. Ivo Struyf’s Gloss: “Sie, die junge Tochter, wollte nicht
widersprechen, und sie sagte also:…”]

Source: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40442345



Concerning the above Kikongo *mbadi ndumba*, the Kikongo* ndumba* means
‘girl’ Laman 1936, 674 s.v. *ndűmba* (literally *buddy-girl*); cognates of
this use before a gender exist in Native Black American language, including
*budí-jí* (Anglicized “buddy-ghee”) and *budí-boy/girl* (Anglicized
“buddy-boy/girl”).



In Kikongo, Struyf cites the similar *mbadi mwana nkento, *literally
*buddy-girl*:



3.  *E mbadi muana nkento…*

[P. Ivo Struyf’s Gloss: “He, du Machen…”]

https://www.jstor.org/stable/40442345 (pg 745)



Note: Kikongo *muana nkento* ‘girl’ < Kikongo *mwana* ‘child’ Laman 1936,
645 s.v. *mw-ána* + Kikongo *nkento* ‘woman’ Laman 1936, 717 s.v. *ǹkēnto*



An alternate form – the Kikongo *mbari* – occurs repeatedly in J. Van
Wing’s 1930 anthropological study, “Bakongo Incantations and Prayers”:



4.* Mbari nkisi, kuna ku ukwenda, komba, komba, sesa, sesa!*

[J.Van Wing’s Gloss: ‘Comrade nkisi, wherever you go, clean, clean, sweep,
sweep!”]

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2843784


Regards,


Zola Sohna



On Tue, Mar 15, 2016 at 2:50 PM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: early "buddy"
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> -------------------
>
> There is certainly a connection. HDAS lists "butty" as a variant of
> "buddy," recorded in Amer. Eng. solely among miners as "a miner's
> assistant."
>
> I haven't checked, but the online OED may have added new information since
> I prepared the "buddy" entry in the early '90s. At that time it seemed
> plausible that "butty" as well as "buddy" was originally a hypocorostic
> (baby-talk?) form of of "brother."
>
> JL
>
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 9:47 PM, Peter Reitan <pjreitan at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Peter Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: early "buddy"
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> -------------------
> >
> > Buddy might come from British=2C Butty - a business partner?
> > A glossary of words from Cheshire from 1829 lists: Butty=2C=0A=
> > s. in those parts of Cheshire adjoining to Staffordshire and Shropshire
> is
> > =
> > used=0A=
> > as a companion in any work or labour.  As=0A=
> > the word Boot signifies in general advantage=2C profit=2C help=3B so I
> > take=
> >  Butty to=0A=
> > be merely a helpmate.
> > Roger Wilbraham=2C An Attempt at a Glossary of Some Words Used in
> Cheshire=
> > =2C 1826. [HathiTrust]
> >
> > A dictionary of British provincialisms published in 1836 lists: "Butty=2C
> > a=
> >  partner in any business or work=2C North=2C Warwick.  Probably from
> > aboute=
> > r=2C Fr. To prop=3B to support=3B a partner being a support."
> > William Holloway=2C General Dictionary of Provincialisms=2C 1839.
> > [HathiTru=
> > st]
> >
> > Two later dictionaries (John Camden Hotten's Slang Dictionary=2C 1864 and
> > W=
> > alter Skeat's Original Glossaries=2C 1876 [both HathiTrust]) give similar
> > d=
> > efinitions=2C and place the word in "the mining districts" or "North
> > Warwic=
> > kshire."  Warwickshire is coal mining district.
> >
> > The=0A=
> > history and description of fossil fuel=2C the collieries=2C and coal
> trade
> > =
> > of Great=0A=
> > Britain=2C London=2C Whittaker=2C (1835) notes that the term=2C
> "Butty=2C"
> > =
> > denoted a specific type of operational manager of a colliery=2C at least
> > in=
> >  some parts of Staffordshire=3B this is consistent with one of the
> > meanings=
> >  given in Hotten's Slang Dictionary.
> >
> > Etymonline.com lists Butty as a possible origin of Buddy=3B with 1802 as
> > th=
> > e earliest known date of Butty as "British colloquial=2C companion."
> >
> >                                           =
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
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