baasie, noun

/ˈbɑːsi/
Forms:
Also basie, and (formerly) baasje.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier Dutch baasje), ‘little master’, baas see baas + diminutive suffix -ie.
1. As a term of address.
a. Often in the phrase my baasie. An affectionate, respectful, placatory, supplicatory, or ironic term of address; kleinbaas sense 3; kleinbasie sense 2. Cf. baas sense 6. See also nonnie sense a.
Note:
Now often offensive to the one addressed. Used by some Black and ‘Coloured’ people to a White male, regardless of his age.
1899 G.H. Russell Under Sjambok 259But drink, Baasie, drink, and the koss will soon be ready.
1951 A. O’Dowd in B. Sachs Herman Charles Bosman (1971) 154An aged, respectful voice sounded over Paul’s shoulder. ‘Hau! My basie, why you shoot little piccanin?’
1953 P. Lanham Blanket Boy’s Moon 254Should the Police, or the Customs Guards come knocking on the lavatory door, call out with confidence, ‘Coming, my Baasie’.
1954 H. Nxumalo in J. Crwys-Williams S. Afr. Despatches (1989) 314He asked for my address and tribe. He then recited something very long to the white official who was writing in a big book opposite him...The only words I recognised..were my first name and ‘five foot, baasie’.
1958 S. Cloete Mask 91You, young baasie, are like the tree. So will you live, with many resting under the shadows of your branches in old age.
1960 J. Cope Tame Ox 23‘Have you ever in your life seen a crack in the sky, Outa Flip?’ he asked his companion. Without thinking, the old coloured man answered: ‘Ja, my basie.’
1960 J. Cope Tame Ox 27To them, the child was ‘Basie’ — the little Baas. They touched their foreheads to him; as servants they recognised his destiny.
1964 V. Pohl Dawn & After 77As I was leaving the house, old January said to me, ‘Basie, you had better leave the gun at home, the scouts are about and may shoot you if they find you are armed’.
c1964 B. Rose in New S. Afr. Writing No.1, 65Baasie, spare a penny, Spare a penny for our kwela As we dance upon the pavement.
1978 Sunday Times 5 Nov. (Mag. Sect.) 5A black beggar sidled up to me and said: ‘My basie, can you give me 20 cents for a loaf of bread?’
1979 M. Matshoba Call Me Not a Man 72A youth in ‘Lee’ denim overalls, checkered shirt and perched white ‘sporty’ sun hat was teasing the whites: ‘Hey, baasie!’ Some of the stone faces showed signs of response.
1982 E. Prov. Herald 20 Sept. 8Any farm child knows the subtle difference between baas and basie. Many a farmer’s son worked hard to rid himself of the title of basie, often used to address him until well into middle age or perhaps until the ‘oubaas’, the farmer, died.
1985 P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at Palace 45September (to Vince): Please, baas. I get into very big trouble. (Turning to Forsie, the submissive approach) Asseblief, my basie. I must lock up here.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 344Ag, sorry, my basie...Don’t shoot, my basie. I could get full of holes, and then what?
b. In the third person, showing deference to the (young) person so addressed. Cf. baas sense 7.
1911 The State Dec. 642 (Pettman)See what Outa caught for the baasjes near the Klip Kop this afternoon, a nice little berg schilpad.
2. As a common noun. A White boy or young man; a son (or younger brother) of a man seen as master; kleinbaas sense 2; kleinbasie sense 1. Cf. baas sense 2 and 3.
1957 H.J. May in S. Afr. P.E.N. Yrbk 1956–7 51He said, ‘it is the Other Baasie’. That was how he used to refer to Johan. I was Klein Baasie, the little master and Johan was the other little master.
1973 J. Cope Alley Cat 25‘The basie hit you in the face.’ ‘That was nothing.’
1994 [see pasop verb].
Often in the phrase my baasie.An affectionate, respectful, placatory, supplicatory, or ironic term of address; kleinbaas sense 3; kleinbasie sense 2.
In the third person, showing deference to the (young) person so addressed.
A White boy or young man; a son (or younger brother) of a man seen as master; kleinbaas sense 2; kleinbasie sense 1.
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baas-boy, nounn.baasskap, nounn.
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