Let’s take a tour as we talk about how we refer to some nationals
from a few nations. We will focus on what the natives of such states
are called, and some of their peculiar languages, plus fascinating facts.
Here we go … a citizen of Ghana is called a Ghanaian. Not “Ghanian”!
The term “Ghanaian” can be applied as both an adjective and a noun
to define a person or a thing linked to Ghana. One cute Ghanaian crown
is the fact that it was the first nation in the region of Africa located south
of the Sahara Desert, (“normally” referred to as the sub-Saharan African region,
though I feel that this classification is abnormal, but that’s a story for another day)
to attain political independence. Ghana, meaning “warrior king”, is rich in history
and natural resources. A key global cocoa producer, it is second only to Côte d’Ivoire.
A person from Lesotho is called a Mosotho, and indeed, this is singular.
What if we are referring to a plural or a group? Well, we call them Basotho.
They speak Sesotho. Made up largely of highlands, several Lesotho villages
can only be accessible on horseback, or by foot or light aircraft. It is the one
and only independent state in the whole world that towers wholly over one
thousand meters or 3, 281ft. in height. The “Kingdom in the Sky”, is the only
nation in the world to have its terrain sited at more than 1, 000 meters above
sea level. Batho (people), I adore that feat! The “Mountain Kingdom”, wealthy
in water and diamonds, gained independence from Britain on October 4, 1966.
Let’s visit another royal place: eSwatini. An inhabitant or citizen of Eswatini
is a Swati or Swazi. LiSwati or LiSwazi. Of course, this is singular. In the siSwati
language, the plural for the citizens is amaSwati. A person from Madagascar
is called a Malagasy. Did you know that? Though Malagasy is considered more
appropriate, “Madagascan” is also used, albeit in a less formal fashion.
Africa is a jewel. You know it. What about a person from the stunning island
of the Seychelles? One… two… three…. four…They are referred to as Seychellois.
.
What do we call a person from Somali? Did you say, they are “Somalian”? Not really,
a native of Somali … is Somali. A person who hails from the United Arab Emirates
or a citizen of the UAE is an Emirati. A national of the State of Qatar is a Qatari,
while a native of Kuwait is a Kuwaiti. We park it here. I hope you enjoyed the trip.
This weekend I thought I’d brush up on my Sesotho. Salang hantle batho! Bye!
