Names Society of Southern Africa

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Nomina Africana
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Journal: Nomina Africana

The first volume of Nomina Africana appeared in 1987, a full six years after the formation of the Names Society, but it has appeared regularly every year since then. Normally Nomina Africana appears twice year, with the cover dates April and November, but occasionally, when manuscripts are a bit thin on the ground, or when the editor needs to catch up on the cover date, numbers (1) and (2) appear in a single volume. Volumes 15 and 16 appeared as special issues, with the titles A World of Names 1 and A World of Names 2, together constituting a festschrift for NSA founder member and names researcher extraordinary Professor Peter E Raper. At the end of October 2011, final editing was being done on a special issue, Nomina Africana 25 (1 & 2), marking the 25th issue and simultaneously the 30th birthday of the Names Society.

A list of all article titles and all the authors of the 25 issues of Nomina Africana can be found here.

In the early years of Nomina Africana, the journal was edited jointly by Professor TJ Botha (“Oom Theuns”), Dr Lucie Möller, and Dr Peter E.Raper. Volume 4(1) 1990 says that BA Meiring, LA Möller, and PE Raper were the “Final editors”, but from Volume 6 (1992) onwards it appears that the journal was produced by an Editorial Committee, consisting of PE Raper, LA Möller, JU Jacobs, BA Meiring, and ER Jenkins. This situation continued until Volume 13 (1999) when Johan Jacobs, of the University of Natal (as it then was), was named individually for the first time as “Editor, Nomina Africana” (and Adrian Koopman joined the Editorial Committee.

Professor Jacobs took over the editorship, and continued as Nomina editor through to Volume 17 in 2002 and thereafter the current editor, Professor Adrian Koopman, took over.
He is very ably assisted in the production of the society’s journal by the Editorial Secretary, Professor Noleen Turner (UKZN) and by the Assistant Editor, Professor Elwyn Jenkins. It is Noleen Turner’s onerous, but essential task, to receive manuscripts, send them off for double blind review, and to follow up on the review process. When a manuscript has been accepted by two reviewers, it is returned to the author to make necessary changes, and the manuscript is then sent to the Editor. Professor Jenkins helps in the editing and proof-reading process before the journal is sent off for printing and binding.

Since the early 1990s, the journal has been accepted by the South African Department of Education (i.e. it is a recognized “SAPSE” journal), an important, indeed essential, status for an academic journal in South Africa.

The editorial requirements (guidelines for contributors) for the journal are also available on the website.

Back copies of Nomina Africana are available from the Editor. These go back to Volume 9 (1995). Prices can be negotiated and will depend on the number ordered and the postage costs.

Also see the journal's website at NISC.