rooinek

Examples of rooinek in a sentence

• 'How they shot the rooineks down that day!1906, William Henry Fitchett, Ithuriel's Spear, published 2008, page 240:
• That evening […] the other, quite frankly, said that these rooineks got her down, they were all the same, they thought they owned the earth they walked on.1952, Doris Lessing, Martha Quest, Panther, published 1974, page 13:
• I couldn't care that the ous call me rooinek and sometimes whiterat because of my hair and face.1975, Sheila Roberts, Outside Life's Feast: Short Stories, Johannesburg: Ad. Donker, →ISBN, page 27:

Forms of rooinek

Origin of rooinek

From Afrikaans rooinek, from rooi (“red”) + nek (“neck”). The term refers to South Africans of British descent, who were perceived by Afrikaners to wear headgear (such as solar topees or no hat at all) which was inadequate in protecting them from sunburn, and thus caused them to have red necks. Other theories include the term being a reference to the red collars of 19th-century British military uniforms or to the red markings that British-South African farmers painted on their imported merino sheep. Compare redneck.

Questions about rooinek

What does rooinek mean?

Rooinek means an Englishman, or a South African that speaks English as opposed to Afrikaans.

How do you use rooinek in a sentence?

'How they shot the rooineks down that day!

What part of speech is rooinek?

Rooinek is a noun.

How do you pronounce rooinek?

Rooinek is pronounced /ˈɹɔɪnek/ (General South African).

What is the plural of rooinek?

The plural of rooinek is rooineks.