[Lexicog] Prototypical "white"

[Fritz Goerling]

Sharyn,

 

You must be joking with “two bob boy.” The etymology is controversial. Some
say

“tubabu” (in French ‘toubab”) is derived from Arabic “tabib” (doctor),
others that

is comes from a verb in the Wolof language from Senegal which means
“change.”

Well, the whites came with a lot of change. I personally believe in the
first

hypothesis. Like the Buamu, the Julas in Côte d’Ivoire/Burkina-Faso and Mali
refer

to Caucasians by ‘nasara’, ‘tubabu’ – and ‘tulo bilen’ = “red ear” and
‘blanc’(French 

for white). I love when smiling or enthusiastic little children shout
“tubabu, tubabu” when a “white” man is passing, an experience which probably
any tourist of “white” skin color has had.

 

Fritz

 

In general, people in our area (west of Burkina Faso) refer to Caucasians as
either “nasara”, which is the term used in the east of the country or
‘tubabu’ which is used in the west.  I have been told that the latter is
derived from ‘two bob boy’.  However, Buamu speakers in the area refer to
Caucasians as ‘French speaking persons’ – whether or not they speak French.

 

Sharyn Thomson

 

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From: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike_Cahill at sil.org
Sent: May 19, 2006 21:49
To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Lexicog] Prototypical "white"

 

Konni speakers (northern Ghana) call Caucasians "nasara". This comes
originally from Arabic and means, as I understand it, something like
"foreigner." Ironically, if an Arab showed up in Konni-land, he would be
labeled "nasara"!

Mike Cahill



 

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