Figure 5-74 indicates that the motivation behind the only name in this section in Scotland is that of Family and birth circumstances. The motivation behind the name Bashwa ‘young people’ is that the child was the first in the family after the parents struggled to conceive so his arrival represented new beginnings for the family. In Botswana, the highest motivation category is that of Family and birth circumstances at 61.5%. This category encompasses names motivated by specific events that were taking place in the country and not just specific to the families involved. Examples of names that fall under this category are; Boipuso ‘independence’, Raboipuso ‘father of independence’ and Mmabotswana ‘mother of Botswana’.
158
The names were given to children born in September 1966, the same year and or month that Botswana became independent. The attainment of independence in Botswana was a much celebrated event, hence the names that make reference to it. The other name that makes reference to a specific event is Botsalo ‘birth’ which was given to a child born on Christmas day and was referring to the birth of Christ. Furthermore, the name Kgaogano ‘split’, borne by an elderly man who was born in 1947, was given because when he was born there were internal conflicts amongst his tribe of the Bangwato which resulted in the tribe splitting into two smaller groups. In addition to their primary roles of identifying individuals, Setswana names are sources through which the history and culture of the people are preserved as indicated by these names.
Figure 5-74: Motivation for Social Situation Names
Country Name motivation Total number % Name motivation
Scotland Family and birth circumstances 1 100%
Total: 1 Total: 100%
Botswana Family and birth circumstances 99 61.5%
Polemical 30 18.6%
Other 13 8.1%
Not known/given 13 8.1%
Named for someone 6 3.7%
Total: 161 Total: 100%
In addition to general events, this category makes reference to events and circumstances that are specific to the families. Death is one of the circumstances reflected by these names. Names like Posthumous, Matshediso ‘condolences’ and Obusitswe ‘he has been returned’ were all given to children born during or after a death in their families. A child was named Tebatso ‘that which makes me forget’ because when her mother was pregnant with her, she lost another child, and the name simply meant that the current child will help her forget the pain of losing the other child. The other group of names makes reference to other social circumstances the families experience such as poverty, illnesses, disputes and squabbles. Examples of names that make reference to circumstances of poverty include: Tshotego ‘suffering’ which was given because the child was born during difficult times when the family had no proper shelter and food, and Gothata ‘it is difficult’ which also makes reference to the difficult times of poverty that the family was going through. Examples of names that were motivated by family disputes and spats that the families were experiencing are Tlhoriso ‘torment’, Lekgobo ‘shame’ and
159
Dipuo ‘quarrels’. The motivation behind the name Tlhoriso is that there was no peace in the family at the time as family members were fighting. The name Lekgobo was given because the mother experienced a lot of stigmatization during her pregnancy but the respondent was not willing to give the reasons for the stigmatization. Dipuo was given because there were a lot of quarrels and disputes in the family. A mother who was having disputes with her neighbours named her child Galeage ‘it does not build’, and the pronoun ‘it’ here refers to jealousy so the name meant that ‘jealousy does not build’. The name was a plea to her neighbours to live together in harmony.
The second highest category of motivations is that of polemical names which is at 18.6%. As stated, names that are polemically motivated are not specific to the category of Situation names as they are represented in other semantic categories as well. However, a substantial amount of them exist in this category and hence the discussion of this motivation here. Unlike names that are motivated by general circumstances and events that the name giver or the family may be going through, polemical names address very specific situations or individuals and they often sound confrontational and provocative. The names may also exist in the form of a back and forth exchange between those involved, using the names of the same child or different children in the family. The current data illustrates that polemical names are used to address and react to different situations. For example, the names have been used to question the paternity of the children. For example, a father named his child Gasenna ‘it is not me’ because he suspected that his partner had cheated on him and so he was not the father of the child. He was raising his suspicions through the child’s name. Similarly, a mother named her child Lesenotse ‘it has been revealed’ because her partner was doubtful that he was the father of the child and did not want to take responsibility. When the child was born he had physical features that resembled those of the father and so the mother was happy that she has been vindicated as the truth has been revealed.
Polemical names are also used to address disputes between parents and their children in relation to the children’s choice of spouses. The parents then voice their displeasure through the names of their grandchildren. For example, a grandmother named her grandchild (son’s daughter) Gaseyo which literally means ‘she is not the one’. The grandmother did not like the woman her son married as there was someone she would have preferred as a daughter-in-law. The son responded by naming the same child Gabotswegope ‘it (witchcraft) does not come from anywhere (but from evil thoughts)’. The naming of the child became a conversational exchange
160
between the mother and the son and although it was indirect the message was relayed to the parties involved. A grandfather named his grandchild (daughter’s son), Kerumotswe ‘I have been provoked’ which was directed to the father of the child because he had impregnated the woman out of wedlock. Another name was motivated by a dispute that a woman was having with her brother. The brother did not approve of her marriage and stopped her from taking her children born out of wedlock to her matrimonial home. The woman responded to this dispute by giving her child the name Kesentseng ‘what wrong have I committed?’.
The data also indicates polemical names that are used by name givers to address fathers who evade responsibilities of taking care of their children. A mother gave her three children names that addressed the father of her children in this way because he was neglecting his responsibilities. The first child was named Gabaetelwe ‘they are not being visited’ because her partner and his family neglected her during the pregnancy and the confinement period as they never came to visit her. In Setswana culture when a man has impregnated a woman out of wedlock the man’s family is supposed to visit the woman’s home to take responsibility for the pregnancy. She had a second child with the same man whom she named Kelebetse ‘I have forgotten’ and the name was also a complaint that the man was not owning up to his responsibilities. She was complaining that her partner had conveniently forgotten that he had a child. The name of the third child also addressed the same issue. This one was named Kentse ‘I am seated/relaxed’ through which the mother was lamenting that the man was just relaxed and not doing what was expected of him. These names are in the form of an ongoing, one-sided communication between a woman and her partner. Furthermore, a grandmother named her grandchild Gabatlhokomele ‘they do not take care’ as a complaint about the father’s family that they were not taking care of her daughter and the baby. Other names that were addressing the same issue of avoiding responsibilities are Kemoreng ‘what should I do to him’ and Bakae ‘where are they?’ which were given to siblings because their father deserted the mother each time she fell pregnant.
Polemical names in the data are also used to express the name givers’ feelings about failed relationships or marriages. A woman whose husband deserted the matrimonial home when she was pregnant named her child Gaebolae ‘it (broken heart) does not kill’ and the message was targeting the husband to let him know that she would not die of a broken heart. Another mother named her child Batsietsi ‘cheaters/cheats’ after her boyfriend convinced her that he would marry her after she bore him a child but deserted her after the child was born. Another name
161
addressing a failed relationship is Ditsapelo ‘(matters) of the heart’ which a mother gave to her son after the father deserted her when she was pregnant after he promised to marry her. The background behind the name is that her family and friends were advising her to sue him for breach of promise but she refused because she loved him a lot. The message of the name is that matters of the heart can only be understood by those involved so she was asking her family and friends not to get involved.
Disputes between neighbours are also tackled through polemical names directed at those involved as evidenced by the names Lemphitlhetse ‘you found me here’, Gabalape ‘they do not tire’, Gabatladiwe ‘they (children) never become enough’ and Gobuamang ‘who is talking?’. The first name, Lemphitlhetse, was a response to a dispute about land. The name giver had settled in a place and later on some neighbours arrived in the area and tried to move her to a new place and this led to a dispute. The name Lemphitlhetse was stating that her neighbours found her in that place so they had no right to move her. The second name, Gabalape, was a response to the neighbours of the name giver who were spreading lies about her. She was basically saying that people do not get tired of getting involved in other people’s personal affairs. The name Gabatladiwe was a response to neighbours who were making fun of a woman who fell pregnant at the same time as her daughter, saying she was too old to have children. Her response to this accusation through the name was that children are never enough. Gobuamang was given as a response to rumours by neighbours that a man was too poor to raise a family successfully. He responded to the rumours through his first child’s name which literally means ‘who is talking?’
The category of Other is the third highest motivations at 8.1%. There are names in this category which derive from Setswana idioms and proverbs which are used to teach and give advice. For instance, the name Leabaneng ‘it (family) goes to children’ derives from a Setswana expression that says ‘tshika fa e ya baneng ya kgaogana’ which means that as the family grows it becomes divided. There were disputes in the family and the name giver was acknowledging that when new generations emerge and families grow it was expected that relationships will become strained and there will be divisions. The other name that derives from an idiom is Gaboratenelwe ‘it (life) is not wished for others’ which derives from the saying ‘botshelo ga bo ratanelwe’ which means that people do not wish a good life for others. The exact motivation for this name is not given except the explanation that people are not happy when others succeed.
162
The other name Pulamoeng ‘rain is a visitor’ was given because the child was unexpected and so she was likened to the rain which never alerts you when it comes. The motivation behind the name Kenaope ‘I have no one’ was that the name giver was a single parent and an orphan so she struggled to raise her children alone. The name was a reflection of her response to her situation. The name Gotlhaloganyamang ‘who understands’ was given because the mother had three boys and no girls and she felt that it was only God who understood the reason for that. A child was named Setswakae ‘where does it come from?’ because the mother had struggled to conceive for a long time and had almost given up when she got the child. It is emphasised that the name was given out of love and it has nothing to do with the mother not wanting the child as the name may sound negative. The motivations for the other 8.1% of the names were Not known/given while the remaining 3.7% were Named for someone. Boikotlhao ‘regret’ was named after an aunt, while Kebaitse ‘I do not know them’ was named after her grandmother who died just before she was born. The idea was to keep the memory of the grandmother alive by naming her grandchild after her.