Africanization
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Africanization is the modification of place names and personal names to reflect an "African" identity. In some cases, changes are not a change of transliteration rather than of the European name.[1]
[edit] Examples
- Joseph-Désiré Mobutu changed to Mobutu Sese Seko
- François Tombalbaye changed to N'Garta Tombalbaye
- Étienne Eyadéma changed to Gnassingbé Eyadéma
- Francisco Macías Nguema changed to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong
- Fernando Po island changed to Bioko Island
- Léopoldville changed to Kinshasa
- Salisbury changed to Harare
- Lourenço Marques changed to Maputo
- Bechuanaland changed to Botswana
- Gold Coast changed to Ghana
- Rhodesia changed to Zambia and Zimbabwe
- Nyasaland changed to Malawi
- Fort Lamy changed to N'Djaména
- Tananarive changed to Antananarivo
- Bathurst changed to Banjul
- Many names of European origin in South Africa have undergone Africanization since 1994, see South African Geographical Names Council.
Other name changes take place when an African person converts to another religion. Examples:
- Albert-Bernard Bongo changed to Omar Bongo
- David Jawara changed to Dawda Jawara
- Jean-Bédel Bokassa changed to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa
[edit] References
- ^ Edgar A. Gregersen (1977). Language in Africa: An Introductory Survey. CRC Press. ISBN 0677043805.
|