Khoekhoe
/ˈkʰoe̯.kʰoe̯/noun
Khoekhoe is a self-designation for the Khoekhoe people and for their language, also known historically as Nama.
Did you know?Khoekhoe is a self-name, while the once-common label “Hottentot” was an outsider term that is now widely regarded as derogatory.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Khoe languages
khoe
“Person or people; the core element of the self-designation.”
Precolonial period
Khoe languages
khoe-khoe
“A reduplicated form meaning approximately “people-people,” emphasizing human community or identity.”
17th Century
Dutch records
Chochouqua / Khoikhoi
“Early European spellings and renderings of the Khoekhoe self-designation.”
18th–19th Century
Colonial English and Dutch
Hottentot / Khoikhoi
“European usage increasingly favored “Hottentot,” an exonym later criticized as derogatory, while Khoikhoi preserved the indigenous name.”
Modern English
English
Khoekhoe
“The modern scholarly and community-preferred form for the people and their language, alongside Nama in specific contexts.”
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