rooinek

Meaning

Noun

• An Englishman, or a South African that speaks English as opposed to Afrikaans.

Origin

• From Afrikaans rooinek, from rooi + nek. Probably a reference to the fact that Englishmen, being new to Africa, wore inadequate headgear (such as solar topees or no hat at all) and thus sunburned more easily than Afrikaners. Other theories have it being a reference to the then red collars of British military uniforms, or to the red markings that British farmers put on their imported merino sheep. Compare redneck.