Meaning of the word Kunjan (sp)!

[vukenmuven]

Excuse my ignorance in Shona terminology ...

Is the use of the word "Kunjan" in any way derogatory or demeaning when used as a formal greeting?

[Shifty]

Excuse my ignorance in Shona terminology ...

Is the use of the word "Kunjan" in any way derogatory or demeaning when used as a formal greeting?

I don't know about Shona, but "kunjani" is part of the Zulu/Ndebele formal greeting for "How are you?" and definitely not derogatory.

[Bolty]

http://www.shonalanguage.info/lesson1.htm

[biffon]

kunjan is not shona it ndebele so i guess if you said it to a more patriotic Shona it may be seen as insulting? especially from a murungu

[joemac]

Kunjan is a chilapalapa/fanikalo word, derived from the Ndebele/Zulu word unjani(sing) / linjani(plu). It translates pretty well to "howzit!"

[yarrumsg]

Excuse my ignorance in Shona terminology ...

Is the use of the word "Kunjan" in any way derogatory or demeaning when used as a formal greeting?

hey ryan, have often heard it pronounced kunjuni as well, basically

uri bho/kunjun(i)/mangwnanani etc... i guess literal translation would be g'day :)

kunjun shamwarai uri bho here?

[Brian]

I always thought it was a colloqial derivative of the nDebele word "Uvuknjani" which is a (generally morning) greeting meaning (literally translated) "Did you get up well?" - much in the same way as westerners would ask "did you sleep well". In Ndebele one enquired more about the way or state in which one awoke and met the day.

I think.

[Armstrong-Abbott]

We always used it as howzit, hows it going, never derogatory though, friendly......

[Nyala]

Yup, thats about right - a friendly slang way of saying Howzit.