Are you tired of wondering what on earth Anum means? Do you find yourself staring at that word for hours, pondering its meaning until your brains feel like scrambled eggs? Fear not! We're here to help decode this cryptic term and unmask its secrets once and for all.
What is Anum?
Before we can dive into understanding what Anum means, we need to define it. According to our extensive research (by which I mean a quick Google search), Anum is an Assyrian god who was worshiped in ancient times.
Who Was Assyrian God Anum?
According to legend, Assyrian god Anum was known as the god of heaven or sky-god. In many depictions, he is shown carrying a mace with lightning bolts emanating from his head. He was considered one of the most powerful gods in ancient Mesopotamia.
However, despite his power and significance back then, modern-day use of the term Anum seems far removed from its deity origins.
The Many Meanings Of Annum
Indeed when one examines modern usage cases for 'anum' either over text messages or communication applications generally used by Nigerians - WhatsApp/ Facebook Messenger etc., several contexts emerge:
-
'As Noun'
- A way Nigerian millennials spell "morning" correctly (anu'a'm) than using digits.
For instance:
Heyyy dearie... Good morningggg????☀️ Have u eaten 2 tinz dis anuma? -
A shortened version of 'anyuma' ('I will fight') carried out humourously between friends especially girls without physically fighting .('friends' brawl').
Imagine two females gisting virtually:
First Female : Babe, no vex oo, but why Una dey exchange fists for club last night? Second Female : laughs No ooo! We were just playing around. Playful banter -
'As Adjective'
- To say someone is stingy or miserly in nature.
Chima's new girlfriend tried to refuse paying for her food thinking she could exploit Chima's generosity, but am so happy he anumed her wella and agreed that they go dutch instead.
(Dutch meaning both parties will split the bill equally)
- To say someone is stingy or miserly in nature.
-
'As Preposition'
-
In reference to a period of time before 12:00 PM (i.e., before noon).
"I go resume with vibes by anum tomorrow = I'll bring good energy tomorrow morning" -
'As Interjection/ Exclamation'
This usage is strictly between Nigerians especially among Yoruba-speaking people
It can be employed as query like:
- Anu-muh? ('Why are you afraid?') And it also comes into play when one says something wrong unintentionally as follows: - Someone yells from his front porch : My dear Sister Gbemisola!! Great news!!! The dead has risen!! Then Sister Gbemi responds vehmenently : ANUM-OO!!!! (such statement doesn't hold ground)
Impact of Context on Understanding Anum
It goes without saying that context plays a vital role in understanding what people mean when they use the word Anum. Indeed,given its diverse meanings from adjective , noun all through to interjection which we unraveled above,it is highly required we have a background about what part this word came out originally from.
Etymology Of Anum As A Name In Nigeria
According to findings carried out by ethnomusicologists, music veterans and local historians , Anum was one of the 37 children born in a family to Amadioha- God Of Thunder/Moon. She was said to be the goddess of grace and beauty.
Her father (Amadioha) gave her 'Anu' as a prefix while Anum's mother ensured her well-being with the meaning behind the suffix "Emodi" .
This explains why so many babies are given this name in Nigeria today. It is believed that anyone who carries it will embody gracefulness alongside abundance of goodwill from others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Anum may have started out as an Assyrian god, but its modern-day usage among Nigerians has taken on multiple meanings depending on context or part of speech used. So next time you see or hear someone using this word, don't panic! Simply consider what situation they're in and try to decipher which definition most accurately applies.
Just remember: anum-a-mah-no-waste-time-go-deeply-explore-am-for-context