3523_SKCPN

Gamtoos

Gamtoos

K 3325 CC

Toponymica Hottentotica: B (A-Z)

25.125

-33.875

12.5 km radius

by uitwatering

eng Stevens CM 1877 Remarks TSAPS 1 57 '...they [die Khoekhoen] will invest a natural phenomenon with personality. Rain...they will liken to a man and call the rain Toos....Gam means spout, duet, cock or tap (or to be in exact accord with the low native idiom, means membrum virile)... Gamtoos meaning simply and clearly rain spout, rain cock, or rain tap...derived... from the amount of water flowing down after rains...'

afr Stevens CM 1877 Remarks TSAPS 1 57 '...they [die Khoekhoen] will invest a natural phenomenon with personality. Rain...they will liken to a man and call the rain Toos....Gam means spout, duet, cock or tap (or to be in exact accord with the low native idiom, means membrum virile)... Gamtoos meaning simply and clearly rain spout, rain cock, or rain tap...derived... from the amount of water flowing down after rains...'

eng In th a * 363-6 is argued that the river name comes from a stem name. The oldest known distraction is that of H Swellengrebel 1776, 124 years after Van Riebeeck's landing. He, and shortly after Horn Le Vaillant 1782, sees a personal name, Swellengrebel that of a Khoekhoians captain, le vaillant of a stranded [and thus European] ship captain. The question is whether the river carries a person or a stem name, a nomination phenomenon that is actually exceptional, especially for a large river, then whether the name toponymous for another more characteristic statement be viewed. Stevens, assisted by his brother George H, also an expert from Khoekhens, offer such another statement. It rests O.I. merely on sound association. From the considerations of grape, they set it over-many and cumbersome. The member gambling them with the Old Cape word for the male rod, early recorded (Hott 418-9), in Nama XA- = 'Penis' (Rest 1960 DNW 47), the nationality again given as -m - (Ga-m). The -too-S connects the Stevense with Nama Tu-S = 'Thursreen' (Hott 425-6 for Old Cape). Then Gamtoos is the river that reminds of the man who turns water. An anthropomorizing view. We believe The question is still open.

afr In TH A* 363-6 is geredeneer dat die riviernaam afkomstig is van 'n stam- naam. Die oudste bekende afleiding is die van H Swellengrebel 1776, 124 jaar na Van Riebeeck se landing. Hy, en kort na horn le Vaillant 1782, sien daarin ’n persoonsnaam, Swellengrebel die van ’n Khoekhoense kap- tein, le Vaillant die van 'n gestrande [en dus Europese] skeepskaptein. Die vraag is of die rivier ’n persoons- of ’n stamnaam dra, ’n benoemings- verskynsel wat vir die Khoekhoen eintlik uitsonderlik is, veral vir ’n groot rivier, dan wel of die naam toponimies vir ’n ander meer karakteristieke verklaring opnuut bekyk moet word. Stevens, bygestaan deur sy broer George H, ook 'n kenner van Khoekhoens, bied so 'n ander verklaring aan. Dit berus o.i. bloot op klankassosiasie. Uit oorwegings van kiesheid stel hulle dit oorversigtig en omslagtig. Die lid Gam- verbind hulle met die Ou-Kaapse woord vir die manlike roede, vroeg reeds opgeteken (HOTT 418-9), in Nama xa- = 'Penis' (Rust 1960 DNW 47), die nasaliteit weer- gegee as -m- (Ga-m-). Die -too-s verbind die Stevense met Nama tu-s = 'donderreen' (HOTT 425-6 vir Ou-Kaaps). Gamtoos is dan die rivier wat laat dink aan die man wat water afslaan. ’n antropomorfiserende siening. Ons meen die vraag is nog oop.

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