shape - and are shaped by - history, health, belief, and identity across Africa. From the metaphoric language of AIDS in Sesotho newspapers to the persistence of colonial names in Uganda, this issue presents naming as a dynamic social practice deeply embedded in cultural and political life.
Here’s a closer look at the five research articles featured in this compelling issue.
In This Issue
“Metaphoric naming of AIDS in the Sesotho press from 1986 to 2010”
By Ntṡoeu Seepheephe
This study analyzes how Sesotho-language newspapers used metaphor to name and frame the AIDS epidemic over a 24-year period. Seepheephe explores how these linguistic choices - whether militaristic, apocalyptic, or stigma-laden - shaped public understanding, fear, and response to the disease in Lesotho and among Sesotho speakers, offering a sociolinguistic perspective on health communication.“Arrested decolonisation and post-independence disorderliness: Explaining the persistence of colonial names in ‘Independent’ Uganda”
By Sylvester Danson Kahyana
Kahyana tackles a pressing political-toponymic puzzle: why do colonial-era place names persist in Uganda decades after independence? Moving beyond simple explanations of inertia, the article frames this persistence as “arrested decolonisation,” linking it to broader post-independence political and administrative “disorderliness.” This work provides a critical lens for understanding the unfinished symbolic work of liberation.“Reflections on the Judeo-Christian values in the naming of amaXhosa brides”
By Madoda Cekiso and Thenjiwe Meyiwa
Cekiso and Meyiwa investigate the fascinating intersection of traditional Xhosa culture and external religious influence. The article examines how Judeo-Christian values have been incorporated into the naming practices for brides (ukuthwala and ukumikela), revealing a layered process of cultural adaptation and continuity in personal naming ceremonies.“Appellativisation in the Eswatini context: semantic manipulation of proper and brand names”
By Lindiwe Simelane, Gcebile H. Malaza, and Sambulo Ndlovu
This piece explores a creative linguistic phenomenon: how proper names and brand names in Eswatini are transformed into common nouns or verbs (appellativisation). The study highlights the playful, strategic, and culturally specific ways speakers manipulate names - such as turning a politician’s name into a verb for a style of governance or a brand into a generic term - reflecting social commentary and linguistic innovation.“Purposive naming and cultural identity: a study of amaXhosa personal naming practices”
By Nosiphiwo Mazaleni
Mazaleni’s research delves into the intentionality behind Xhosa personal names. It demonstrates how names are consciously chosen to communicate family history, values, circumstances of birth, and aspirations, thereby acting as core instruments for constructing and reinforcing individual and collective cultural identity.
Why This Issue Matters
Together, these articles show that onomastics is a vital tool for understanding:
Public Health Narratives: How disease is linguistically constructed in the media.
Post-Colonial Politics: The struggle over symbolic space in national landscapes.
Cultural Syncretism: How naming traditions adapt to new religious and social influences.
Linguistic Creativity: How communities play with and reinvent names in daily speech.
Identity Formation: How names consciously forge links between person, family, and culture.
Access the Research
A major strength of this issue is that all articles are published Open Access, ensuring that this important research is freely available to scholars, students, and the public worldwide without barriers.
🔗 Explore the full issue and download articles here:
Nomina Africana, Volume 39, Issue 2
Nomina Africana continues to be an essential resource, proving that the study of names offers unique insights into history, power, language, and the human experience in Africa and beyond.
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