Previous page | New search |
The free AfricaBib App for Android is available here
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Title: | A socio-cultural and linguistic analysis of postcolonial Christian naming practices in Zimbabwe |
Authors: | Mashiri, Pedzisai![]() Chabata, Emmanuel Chitando, Ezra ![]() |
Year: | 2013 |
Periodical: | Journal for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (ISSN 2026-7215) |
Volume: | 2 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 163-173 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Zimbabwe |
Subjects: | names Christianity values |
Abstract: | This article presents an analysis of names given to children of Christian parents in the postcolonial period. The corpus of names analysed provides evidence that, unlike in pre-independence Zimbabwe, when they were discouraged, African names have become a part of Christian nomenclature in post-independence Zimbabwe. These post-colonial African names bear resemblance to traditional African names in that a lot of them are meaningful. They reflect the name-giver's Christian beliefs, celebrate Christian values and express thankfulness to God. The study reveals the revitalisation of a tradition in which naming is a deliberate linguistic act that is intimately linked with values, traditions, hopes, fears and events in people's lives. [ASC Leiden abstract] |