feke
The English word "octopus" is translated into Sesotho as feke.
feke is a noun used to refer to the mollusc known as an octopus.
Meaning: mollusc (noun)
Did you know?
- Because Lesotho is a landlocked country, the word feke is rarely used in daily conversation and is primarily found in educational texts or by those living near the coast of South Africa.
- Unlike English, which uses the Greek roots for 'eight' and 'foot', feke contains no linguistic reference to the animal's anatomy.
- The rhythm of the word feke follows the specific tonal patterns of the Sesotho language, which can alter the perceived meaning if the pitch is incorrect.
Example conversation
Teboho and Masego are looking at a book about sea creatures.
- TebohoSheba feke ena, e thata haholo!Look at this octopus, it is very strange!
- MasegoKe nnete, Teboho, e shebahala e le bohlale.It is true, Teboho, it looks intelligent.
- TebohoNa feke e hlola linoho tseo?Does the octopus hide from those animals?
- MasegoEe, e fetola mebala ea eona.Yes, it changes its colors.
