Talk:Katutura

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The place where people do not want to live[edit]

I wish to stress that actually the website of Klaus Dierks repots "the place where people do not live" instead of "The place where we do not want to live". So I added another source that reports "the place where people do not want to live" and changed the translation of word Katutura. -- Basilicofresco (msg) 06:42, 25 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I have usually heard variations of the above, but Marion Wallace translates it as "we have no dwelling place" ((A History of Namibia, p.254)) . She does not cite the translation directly but refers to the Location Advisory Board. A google search returns a report by the Swapo Women's Council using the same language, though not returning the Location Advisory Board.

I am not sure how to proceed so have also added Wallace's book as a reference. --Personapannacotta (talk) 00:46, 25 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Interesting question, it seems scientists borrow from each other here with nobody actually fluent in Otjiherero. If you look at Otjiherero grammar, it is actually quite clear: "katu" is the negative present habitual of eṱe (we). "tura" is the verb for stay / dwell. Together it is literally "We are not going to dwell [there]". However, this is of course WP:OR and, even if correct, cannot be used in the article. --Pgallert (talk) 10:58, 25 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]