Amakosa

/ˌæməˈkoʊsə/ noun

Definition

A South African people or ethnic group (also called Amakosa or Xhosa); related to the Xhosa peoples of South Africa.

Etymology

From Bantu languages, related to the Xhosa people's own name for themselves. The 'Ama-' prefix in Bantu languages means 'people of' or plural.

Kelly Says

Amakosa reflects how Bantu languages use prefixes—'Ama-' means 'the people of,' so Amakosa literally means 'the Kosa people,' but colonizers flattened these nuances into simplified 'tribal' categories that erased the people's own naming system.

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