nê, interjection

/ne/
Forms:
ne, nèShow more Also ne, nè, né, neh, nie.
Origin:
Afrikaans nè.
colloquial
An interrogative particle, ‘isn’t that so?’, ‘not so?’; also used redundantly for emphasis.
1891 J.P. Legg in Cape Illust. Mag. I. 95A peculiar use of an enclitic ‘neh’ is often to be heard, though not so generally; thus ‘you are coming with us — neh?’ Serving the purpose of a note of interrogation in conversation.
1900 H. Blore Imp. Light Horseman 194Then you are not come as a recruit to our ranks, but have already ducked your head to a bullet, nê?
1920 S. Black Dorp 65After a long pause, Achteruit replied, ‘Couldn’t you arrange a salary somehow, neh?’
1958 A. Sampson Treason Cage 140The same washing that was brought in through the back of white man’s house was washed by black hands — black hands — in an African hut, neh?
1974 D. Rooke Margaretha de la Porte 116When she finished the doily she shook it out and then smoothed it lovingly...Small red beads decorated this one. ‘Like rubies, nè?’ said Mevrouw.
1979 M. Matshoba Call Me Not a Man 158‘Give me your pass’...I gave it to him and he paged through it..‘You’re Xhosa, neh?’ I nodded.
1982 H. Smith in E. Prov. Herald 16 June 12South West Africa has a grand ring to it, né? Go on, say it. Listen to the sound of it. It’s big. Big like my country, né?’
1985 Sunday Times 10 Mar. (Lifestyle) 3Foeitog a lesser person would find herself at the end of her dither, né, but not this rare woman who faces total onslaught..without a crease to her crimplene.
1990 T. Robb in Top Forty July 36You’re one of those guys that believes every metal album has hidden ‘evil’ messages in its grooves if you play it backwards, right? Well, only someone like you would play a record backwards, nê?!
1990 J. Naidoo Coolie Location 5He didn’t go far né. He fell just in front of our place.
1990 J. Naidoo Coolie Location 131Bhiraj has been arrested. He sent someone here, né. He said you must hide his things.
An interrogative particle, ‘isn’t that so?’, ‘not so?’; also used redundantly for emphasis.
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18911990
NDM, nounn.NEC, nounn.
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