yoh

See also: þoh and -yoh

English

Etymology

From Afrikaans and Xhosa.[1]

Interjection

yoh

  1. (South Africa) Exclamation expressing surprise, wonder, admiration, frustration, shock, or distress.
    • 1855, G. Thompson, Letters to Sabbath School Children on Africa, page 146:
      When they looked upon me, in my suffering, they would sigh, and exclaim, "Oh, Yoh!" (Oh! dear! Oh! pity!)
    • 1952, P. H. H. White, Doctor of Tanganyika, page 42:
      The nurses looked at it with open eyes and open mouths. "Yoh," said Sechelela. "What is this?
    • 2025 March 26, Khanyisile Ngcobo, “'Yoh! You're in the OED' – South Africa makes its linguistic mark”, in BBC[1]:
      Yoh! I'm so gatvol of this tjoekie and need a zol to handle these moggy people.

References

Abau

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /iɔɸ/

Noun

yoh class ? gender m

  1. banana (fruit)
  2. banana tree

Usage notes

  • banana fruit: Class 3, Masculine.
  • banana tree: Class 8, Masculine.

Achang

Pronunciation

  • (Myanmar) /jɔ˦˧/

Verb

yoh

  1. can, to be able to

Further reading

  • Inglis, Douglas, Sampu, Nasaw, Jaseng, Wilai, Jana, Thocha (2005) A preliminary Ngochang–Kachin–English Lexicon[2], Payap University, page 147