‖ons land, noun phrase

/ɔns ˈlant/
Forms:
Also (formerly) onze land.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, ons our + land country.
‘Our country’; South Africa.
1912 F. Bancroft Veldt Dwellers 32Kruger’s calling for you again; onze land is calling for you again; fight you must.
1924 L. Cohen Reminisc. of Jhb. 175Boers hastily sold their land..and trekked far away from the strangers — to resume in peace the ancient customs and solitary life of Ons land which their grim ancestors had practised before them.
1958 S. Cloete Mask 132This was his country, ons land, the middle veld with its covering of scrub and tall thorn.
1963 S. Cloete Rags of Glory 18All these strange men united in a common purpose — to defend their land. Ons land, as they call it.
1979 Darling 27 June 131Let budding Blossoms spring up all over ons land, ek sê. Be proud of your verbal heritage, kids.
1984 R. Hulley in Deurbraak Dec. 10I believe that the form of the loyal toast should in future be ‘to South Africa’ or ‘Ons land’ and I would therefore like to call upon our protocol officials to make the necessary changes.
[1988 Star 26 Apr. 6As far as I can ascertain, the USA forces do not formally toast their President, but they toast ‘America’. Surely we, in South Africa, irrespective of our politics or race, should toast ‘Our Land’ or ‘Ons Land’.]
‘Our country’; South Africa.
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19121988
only, adverbadv.onslaught, nounn.
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