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japa

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: ja·pa and japą

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Yoruba jápa and Nigerian Pidgin japa.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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japa (third-person singular simple present japas, present participle japaing, simple past and past participle japaed or japa'd)

  1. (Nigeria, colloquial) to emigrate from a country for better pay or working conditions.

Noun

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japa (uncountable)

  1. (Nigeria, colloquial) the emigration of Nigerians, usually for economic opportunities.

Nigerian Pidgin

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Etymology

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From Yoruba jápa.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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japa

  1. to relocate; to emigrate

Polish

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Etymology

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Uncertain. Possibly from German jappen, from German Low German gapen, from Middle Low German gāpen.

Pronunciation

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  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -apa
  • Syllabification: ja‧pa

Noun

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japa f

  1. (colloquial, derogatory) human face
  2. (colloquial or dialectal, Far Masovian, derogatory) human mouth
    1. (Chełmno-Dobrzyń, humorous) open mouth

Declension

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Interjection

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japa

  1. (derogatory) shut up!

Further reading

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  • japa in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • japa in Polish dictionaries at PWN
  • Antoni Krasnowolski (1879) “japa”, in Album uczącéj się młodzieży polskiéj poświęcone Józefowi Ignacemu Kraszewskiemu z powodu jubileuszu jego pięćdziesięcioletniéj działalności literackiéj (in Polish), Lviv: Czytelni Akademickiéj Lwowskiéj; "Gaz. Narod." J. Dobrzańskiego i K. Gromana, Słowniczek prowincjalizmów zebranych w ziemi chełmińskiej i świeckiej, page 303
  • Wojciech Grzegorzewicz (1894) “japa”, in Sprawozdania Komisji Językowej Akademii Umiejętności (in Polish), volume 5, Krakow: Akademia Umiejętności, page 109

Portuguese

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Etymology

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From japonês (Japanese) or Japão (Japan).

Pronunciation

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  • Hyphenation: ja‧pa

Noun

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japa m or f by sense (plural japas)

  1. (Brazil, colloquial, sometimes derogatory) a person from Japan or of Japanese descent

Adjective

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japa m or f (plural japas)

  1. (Brazil, colloquial, sometimes derogatory) from Japan or of Japanese descent

Derived terms

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Spanish

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Noun

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japa f (plural japas)

  1. female equivalent of japo

Yoruba

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From (to dart, dash) +‎ pa (intensifier). Slang term likely popularised by Naira Marley’s 2018 song, Japa.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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jápa

  1. to run away, to flee
    Synonyms: sá lọ, júbà ehoro, họ, na pápá bora, fẹsẹ̀ fẹ́ẹ,
    • 2018, Naira Marley (lyrics and music), “Japa”‎[1], 0:52–1:08:
      Jápa jápa, jápa lọ London // Jápa jápa, já wọ Canada // Jápa jápa, já wọ Chicago // Jápa jápa, já lọ sí Africa
      Japa japa, japa to London // Japa japa, flee to Canada // Japa japa, flee to Chicago // Japa japa, flee to Africa.
  2. (colloquial) to japa; to emigrate from a country, typically for better pay or working conditions. [from late 2010s]
    Wọ́n fẹ́ jápa.They want to relocate.
    • 2022 November 29, “Ẹ̀yin tí ẹ̀ ń jápa ẹ ṣọ́ra kí wọ́n má baà jà yín ní olè – Lai Mohammed [You who are emigrating, be careful to not get robbed - Lai Mohammed]”, in BBC Yorùbá[2]:

Descendants

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  • English: japa
  • Nigerian Pidgin: japa