‖gaan, verb intransitive

/xɑːn//xaːn/
Origin:
Afrikaans, EnglishShow more Probably from Afrikaans aangaan carry on, rave, storm at, itself perhaps originally formed on English go on, as in ‘don’t go on like that’:
In the slang phrase to gaan aan/ˌxɑːnˈɑːn//ˌxaːnˈaːn/, occasionally to gaan on.
To carry on; to complain, nag, or whine persistently.
1985 H. Prendini in Style Oct. 39The ou starts gaaning aan. I say ‘What’s your case? Don’t aikona me, my china. Don’t tune me grief.’
1986 P. Browne in Style July 43Danie Craven got a sock stuck in it when he started gaaning aan and getting all emotional about morals on the rugby field.
1989 B. Harris Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)I don’t want people in my house who keep on gaaning aan about this and that.
1990 R. Malan in L. Wright Teaching Eng. Lit. in S. Afr. 198I know I am right in persisting (‘gaaning on’ is the current inelegant expression) in my belief that studying literature in the here-and-now gives a student an authority, a sure-footedness.
1991 G. De Beer Informant, Port Nolloth, Northern CapeGaan on (carry on, endlessly usually). She was gaaning on about her bill.
To carry on; to complain, nag, or whine persistently.
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19851991
ga, interjectionint.gaandereij, nounn.
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