South African word for a millipede — those slow-moving, many-legged arthropods that curl into a tight spiral when disturbed.
South African word for a millipede — those slow-moving, many-legged arthropods that curl into a tight spiral when disturbed. The word is widely used across South Africa and comes from Zulu and Xhosa, making it one of many indigenous-language borrowings that enrich South African English. Shongololo has a friendly, almost onomatopoeic quality that suits the harmless creature perfectly. Children learn the word early, and it appears in South African literature, brand names, and popular culture.
She found a giant shongololo curled up under a flowerpot in the garden and carefully relocated it to the compost heap.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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(South Africa) A millipede.
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