Of the same breath: Indigenous animal and place names

Of the Same Breath opens the door to a better understanding of why and how the animals and places of southern Africa have been given the names they have today. The vast reaches of the information provided in this book have been drawn together to create a veritable cornucopia of answers to the old question of how names originated. In this linguistically thought-provoking book, readers will be guided through the origins of animal names and toponyms, from the coastline of South Africa to the northern border of Namibia, and from the mighty elephant to the humble grasshopper. “The vast empty spaces of South Africa and Namibia are suffused with codes to the past. To the casual traveller, the -laagtes and -leegtes flash and roll past our windows, unexplained and undiscovered, but to the informed, these ancient names unfurl a history as old as man himself. This is Simon Schama’s “topography of cultural identity”, which started with the San, and continues to this day. Lucie Möller’s glorious exploration of these animal origins stands proud, with the work of Bleek, as reminder and tribute to voices now silent.” – Dave Pepler