different between township vs tsotsi

English

Etymology

From Middle English towneship, townschip, tounshipe, tunscipe, from Old English t?ns?ipe (“the inhabitants of a town; township”), equivalent to town +? -ship.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ta?n??p/

Noun

township (plural townships)

1. The territory of a town.
2. (US, Canada) a subdivision of a county.
3. (South Africa, Pre 1994) An area set aside for nonwhite occupation.
   • 1972, Daily Dispatch: "In addition, the council has completed the planning of a new Coloured township on the site of the existing African township"
4. (South Africa, Post 1994) A nonwhite (usually subeconomic) area attached to a city.
5. (Australia, New Zealand) a small town.

Usage notes

In the U.S. (derived from an obsolete UK usage), the term "township" refers to a division of a county, and may include one or more towns, villages, hamlets, or small cities. It may also be an administrative district for an unincorporated rural area. The exact nature of a township, and its role in local administration, differs from state to state.

Related terms

• squatter camp

Descendants

• Portuguese: township

Translations

References

1978: A Dictionary of South African English edited by Jean Branford. Oxford.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tawn.?ip/

Noun

township m (plural townships)

1. township (in South Africa)
2. (Canada) canton

Portuguese

Noun

township

1. (historical) township (area set aside for non-white occupation in South Africa)

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Compare Shona tsotsi (“criminal”)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ts?tsi/

Noun

tsotsi (plural tsotsis)

1. (South Africa) A hoodlum or street thug, especially one from the townships; a township skollie.
   • 1979, André Brink, A Dry White Season, Vintage 1998, p. 39:

     A gang of tsotsis – hooligans – attacked a group of older men, and when the owner tried to throw them out they ran amok in the place, smashing everything in their way.

   • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 88:

     Gangsters – known as tsotsis – carrying flick-knives or switchblades were plentiful and prominent [...].

   • 2006 Cape Times, 17 Mar 2006:

     Mandela, standing up for all the tsotsis out there, said: "Don't dismiss any youngsters who are not behaving according to your wishes."

Derived terms

• tsotsitaal

Anagrams

• Tostis

Shona

Noun

tsótsi 5 (plural matsótsi 6)

1. criminal, thug, gangster, hooligan, hoodlum

   Synonym: horomori

Tlahuica

Noun

tsotsi

1. bat

References

• Elpidia Reynoso González, Vocabulario Español-Tlahuica (1998)