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Glite Dictionary
Oom Paul Kruger

Oom Paul Kruger

9.9
A South African leader and president in the late 1800s
  • proper noun
: Oom Paul Kruger
  • Many supporters affectionately referred to President Kruger as Oom Paul Kruger.

Examples

  • Oom Paul Kruger was a central figure in South African history during the late nineteenth century.

  • The statue of Oom Paul Kruger stands in Church Square, Pretoria.

  • Many people admire Oom Paul Kruger for his leadership.

  • Did Oom Paul Kruger really believe in independence?

  • Many supporters affectionately referred to President Oom Paul Kruger during the Boer War.

  • Oom Paul Kruger was a central figure in the politics of South Africa in the late 1800s.

  • The statue of Oom Paul Kruger is a popular tourist attraction in Pretoria.

Surface Forms

Oom Paul Kruger main

Morphology

Oom + Paul + Kruger

The element 'Oom' is Afrikaans/Dutch for 'uncle' and combined with the personal name signals an honorific or familiar reference to a person, so a learner who knows the constituents could infer this is a person called 'Uncle Paul Kruger'. However, the constituents do not convey the historical/political identity (that he was a Boer statesman and president), so the full sense of the MWE is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Oom Paul Kruger comes from the Afrikaans word Oom, which means 'uncle'. People used Oom as a friendly, respectful title for older men, so supporters called President Paul Kruger Oom Paul Kruger to show their respect and affection, and today it is his popular name.