- Feb 9, 2001
- 7,136
- 2,071
"What is the origin of the world “Africa?”
"I would like to thank you all at The African Bulletin for your foresight and the extremely powerful service you have been rendering the black community since your inception.
Meanwhile, I have some important questions which I would like you to help me find out the answers for my sake and that of my children. I have done several researches without coming up with any concrete answer on this subject. Kindly assist in finding out answers either through books or references. Here are some of them:
Where does the name Africa come from? What does it mean? What language is the word Africa? Did Africans name it Africa?
I understand you are all very busy and so please take your time in coming up with possible answers.
Nana Kwabena Buruwaa
Wageningen
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Editors’ Note:
We hope the information below answers your questions. Maybe some readers out there are also able to give you some useful references as well:
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - better known as UNESCO - during the time of the Roman empire, the term became accepted as a replacement for the word "Libya" which meant the land of the Lebu or Lubins in Genesis.
Geographically, Libya meant only the north coast of the continent and at first, so did Africa. By the end of the first century A.D., Africa came to mean the entire continent. The etymology, the origin of the term Africa is not so precisely agreed upon and, according to UNESCO, its origin is credited to one of seven theories:
The Afarak, also known as the Aourigha, were a Berber people who lived south of Carthage. The terms Afarik or Africa were used to denote the land of the Afarak.
Some believe that the word comes from the Latin adjective aprica which means sunny or the Greek aprike, which means free from cold.
The Phoenician root faraqua, which suggests a separation or in other words, diaspora. The same root is found in some African languages, like Bambara.
In Sanskrit and Hindu, the root Apara or Africa denotes that which, in geographical terms comes "after," or in other words the west. From the geographical position of India, the Asian country from which the Hindus originated, Africa is the western continent.
Another school of thought states that the word Africa comes from two Phoenician terms, one of which means an ear of corn, which was a symbol of fertility in that region, and the other Pharikia, which means land of the fruit.
A historical tradition states that a Yeminiter chief named Africus invaded north Africa in the second millennium before our era and founded a town called Afrikyah. Some say it is more likely that the Arabic term Ifriqiya is the Arabic translation of the word "Africa."
Another theory states that Afer was a grandson of Abraham and a companion of Hercules."
Permission received to post this article here: "You have our full permission to use the said information using us as a point of reference but quoting the appropriate source as indicated in the said piece. We thank you for your in The African Bulletin. Best regards." The African Bulletin, http://www.mediablackberry.com/2003/03/letters.html
"I would like to thank you all at The African Bulletin for your foresight and the extremely powerful service you have been rendering the black community since your inception.
Meanwhile, I have some important questions which I would like you to help me find out the answers for my sake and that of my children. I have done several researches without coming up with any concrete answer on this subject. Kindly assist in finding out answers either through books or references. Here are some of them:
Where does the name Africa come from? What does it mean? What language is the word Africa? Did Africans name it Africa?
I understand you are all very busy and so please take your time in coming up with possible answers.
Nana Kwabena Buruwaa
Wageningen
------------
Editors’ Note:
We hope the information below answers your questions. Maybe some readers out there are also able to give you some useful references as well:
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - better known as UNESCO - during the time of the Roman empire, the term became accepted as a replacement for the word "Libya" which meant the land of the Lebu or Lubins in Genesis.
Geographically, Libya meant only the north coast of the continent and at first, so did Africa. By the end of the first century A.D., Africa came to mean the entire continent. The etymology, the origin of the term Africa is not so precisely agreed upon and, according to UNESCO, its origin is credited to one of seven theories:
The Afarak, also known as the Aourigha, were a Berber people who lived south of Carthage. The terms Afarik or Africa were used to denote the land of the Afarak.
Some believe that the word comes from the Latin adjective aprica which means sunny or the Greek aprike, which means free from cold.
The Phoenician root faraqua, which suggests a separation or in other words, diaspora. The same root is found in some African languages, like Bambara.
In Sanskrit and Hindu, the root Apara or Africa denotes that which, in geographical terms comes "after," or in other words the west. From the geographical position of India, the Asian country from which the Hindus originated, Africa is the western continent.
Another school of thought states that the word Africa comes from two Phoenician terms, one of which means an ear of corn, which was a symbol of fertility in that region, and the other Pharikia, which means land of the fruit.
A historical tradition states that a Yeminiter chief named Africus invaded north Africa in the second millennium before our era and founded a town called Afrikyah. Some say it is more likely that the Arabic term Ifriqiya is the Arabic translation of the word "Africa."
Another theory states that Afer was a grandson of Abraham and a companion of Hercules."
Permission received to post this article here: "You have our full permission to use the said information using us as a point of reference but quoting the appropriate source as indicated in the said piece. We thank you for your in The African Bulletin. Best regards." The African Bulletin, http://www.mediablackberry.com/2003/03/letters.html