Sranan

English

Proper noun

Sranan

1. Sranan Tongo, the English-based creole of Suriname.

Translations

English-based creole of Suriname — see Sranan Tongo

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Sranan Tongo terms
• Appendix:Sranan Swadesh list for a Swadesh list of basic vocabulary words in Sranan

Further reading

• Ethnologue entry for Sranan, srn ⁠

Dutch

Alternative forms

• Sranang (dated)

Etymology

Borrowed from Sranan Tongo Sranan (“Suriname”)

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /sraːˈnɑn/, /sraːˈnɑŋ/

Proper noun

Sranan n

1. (chiefly Netherlands) ellipsis of Sranantongo (“Sranan Tongo”)
2. (chiefly Suriname) synonym of Suriname (“Suriname”)
   • 1993, Don Walther Donner, Swietie Sranang. Kan me nog meer vertellen. Herinneringen aan een rot jeugd [Sweet Suriname. Tell the marines. Recollections of a lousy childhood]‎^[1], Southend on Sea/Noravia/Rotterdam: Laetitia Boeken, page 6:

     Toen kwam die andere Joop -meneer Joop den Uyl- op de proppen die vond dat het land zonodig onafhankelijk moest worden. Hij en zijn medestanders zowel in Sranang als in Blanda bekommerden zich weinig om de eisen die men pleegt te stellen aan een levenskrachtige democratie [...].

     Then came along that other Joop – Mr Joop den Uyl – who thought it urgently necessary for the country to become independent. He and his supporters both in Suriname and in the Netherlands cared little for the requirements commonly seen as essential to a viable democracy [...].

Sranan Tongo

Alternative forms

• Sranang (superseded spelling)

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɾanaŋ/, /sɾanan/, [sɾa̠nã̠ŋ], [sɾɑ̟nɑ̟ŋ]

Adjective

Sranan

1. Surinamese
2. Sranan, pertaining to Sranan Tongo

Proper noun

Sranan

1. Suriname (a country in South America)

   Synonyms: Sranankondre, Sranangron

   • 1855, Hendrik Charles Focke, Neger-Engelsch woordenboek [Negro English Dictionary]‎^[2], Leiden: P.H. van den Heuvell:

     Sranám-kondre da hási-tére: tide a wai so, tamara a wai so.

     Suriname is like a horsetail: today it's blown this way, tomorrow it's blown that way.

   • 1869 July 4, De Kolonist‎^[3] (advertisement), page 4:

     Da soema dissi teeken dia na ondro, […] habi da eer nanga wan respekki fasi, foe meki dem soema foe Sranam sabi taki a de doe da wroko dati, foe tjari da njoen Wet foe so farra de foe ibri wan borgroe soema moesoe sabi na Sranam tongo {...}.

     [A sma di teken dya na ondro, […] abi a eer nanga wan lespeki fasi, fu meki den sma fu Sranan sabi, taki a e du a wroko dati, fu tyari a nyun wèt, fu so fara de fu ibriwan borgu sma musu sabi, na Sranantongo […] .]

     The undersigned has the honour to respectfully inform the people of Suriname that he's undertaking the work of translating the new law, as far as it is necessary for every citizen to know, into Sranan Tongo […] .

   • c. 1955, Eddy Vervuurt, “Lied [Parbo-Mambo]”‎^[4]performed by Orkest Eddy Vervuurt and Big Jones:

     Now di Sranan e meki en biri / ala tra biri kan tan tiri

     Now that Suriname is making its own beer / all other beers can keep quiet

   • 1968, R. Dobru, “wan [One]”, in Shrinivási, editor, Wortoe d'e tan abra. Bloemlezing uit de Surinaamse poëzie vanaf 1957 [Words that remain. Anthology of Surinamese poetry since 1957]‎^[5], Paramaribo: Bureau Volkslektuur, published 1970, page 48:

     Wan Sranan / someni wiwiri / someni skin / someni tongo / Wan pipel.

     One Suriname / so many hair [types] / so many skin [colours] / so many tongues / One people.

   • 1970 March 11, P. Marlee, “Lees: Sranan, moks'alesi”, in Vrije Stem: onafhankelijk weekblad voor Suriname‎^[6], page 1:

     gwe foe Afobaka, go na hé / dan te na sibiboesi krin joe kra / fas joe roetoe tap tafra-bergi lek wan boa / opo wan makti kankantri-sten / gi na njoen Sranan brokodé

     away from Afobaka, go upwards / until a cloudburst cleanses your soul / fasten your roots on the table mount like a boa / raise a mighty cotton tree voice / for the dawn of the new Suriname

   • 1975, Sonora Paramarera, “Kondre Nomroe Wan”, in Lobi Dee:

     Mi luku a grontapu nanga en gudu / Nowan kondre mi feni pe mi sa tan / Mi kan teigi yu fu tru, mi gudu / Nowan kondre mi lobi leki mi Sranan

     I look at the world and its riches / I find no country where I'll live / I can truly tell you, my darling / I love no country like my Suriname

   • 1975, Mighty Botai, “Sranang Kong Fri”, in Onafhankelijkheid (Srefidensi) Suriname:

     Atleba ten no sa de moro ini Sranan / Den bakra, den ben hori wi na baka / Den de bow den kondre kon na fesi / Meki wi e pina

     The period of toiling will be no more in Suriname / The Dutch, they held us back / They built up their country successfully / Made us suffer

   • 1981, Thea Doelwijt, Prisiri stari. De pretster. Wan komedi-pré gi pikin. Een theaterspel voor kinderen [The star of joy. A theatre play for children]‎^[7], Paramaribo: Eldoradoboek, →ISBN, page 60:

     Opo mi pikin, opo. J'o tron wan Stari. Wan Stari d'e brenki ini a Firmamenti. En m'o gi joe wan kondre. Wan heri kondre nanga foeroe libisma. En a kondre disi sa nen A njoen Republiek Sranan!

     Rise, my child, rise. You will become a star. A star that shines in the firmament. And I will give you a country. A whole country, with many people. And this country will be called: the new Republic of Suriname!

2. Sranan Tongo, Sranan

   Synonym: Sranantongo

Descendants

• → Dutch: Sranan
• → English: Sranan