yona
The Xhosa word for the inanimate subject pronoun "it" is yona.
yona is used as a pronoun to refer to an inanimate thing as a subject.
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Did you know?
- If a speaker uses yona to refer to a person, it can be interpreted as a deliberate insult by stripping that person of their humanity.
- In Xhosa, the pronoun yona is often omitted in casual speech because the verb already contains a prefix that tells the listener the subject is 'it'.
- The word yona is derived from the Proto-Nguni root *yoná, linking it to a vast family of related languages across Southern Africa.
Examples in context
- Yona iyakhanya.It is shining.
Example conversation
Olwethu and Nomvula are looking at a new table.
- OlwethuUyibona le tafutha?Do you see this table?
- NomvulaEwe, yona imnandi kakhulu.Yes, it is very nice.
- OlwethuSiyithenga yona?Are we buying it?
- NomvulaEwe, masiyithengise.Yes, let us buy it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries yona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
