Afrikaans dag in Suid Afrika! Man, dis lekker om 'die taal' te kan praat!

Ja kyk, my Griekse Professor op Universiteit het gereeld vir ons vertel dat ons net Grieks and Afrikaans in die Hemel sal praat... Toe ek hom daaroor uitvra het hy geantwoord 'Dion, in my bybel praat Jesus net Grieks en Afrikaans!

[Yes, well, my Greek Professor at University frequently reminded us that in heaven we shall only speak Greek and Afrikaans... When I asked him about this he answered. 'Dion, in my Bible Jesus only speaks Greek and Afrikaans'] Oh, and whilst I am translating, the cartoon says (Man) 'Tell me the truth, are you having an affair?', (Woman) 'Yes, Pieter, and he is black'.

Ja, well, no fine! (see the wikipedia article on 'South Africanisms')

Today is Afrikaans day in South Africa. I would like to wish all Afrikaners God's richest blessing! Celebrate your language and your culture! It's a gift to our nation, and a rich and colorful strand in the tapestry of our national heritage!

For those who want to learn a few uniquely South African 'slang' (jargon) terms, which are mostly Afrikaans or a combination of Afrikaans and English words, see the list of words here...

I've just copied a few (p.s. some are rude... As with all languages persons most frequently learn the swear words first! In this case, please just ignore those words, as my Catholic, Latin, friend Larry said 'pious auribus offensiva'):

Afrikanerisms

This list of "Afrikanerisms" comprises slang words and phrases influenced by Afrikaans. Typical users include people with Afrikaans as their first language but who speak English as a second language; and people living in areas where the population speaks both English and Afrikaans. Many of these terms also occur widely amongst Durban Indians. Unless otherwise noted, these terms do not occur in formal South African English.

* ag man - oh man; ag as the Afrikaans cognate of "oh", man pronounced as in English
* aweh( pronounced AAAH-WHERE - (said in excitement, as in: Aweh my boss said I can go home early today.) has many meanings or uses hello,goodbye, yes. also affliated to prison use
* baas - boss
* babbelas - hangover (originally from Zulu)
* bakgat - expression of appreciation for something very well accomplished; cool.
* bakkie - a utility truck, pick-up truck, now a mainstream word in South African English
* bakvissie - a giggly teenage girl
* ballas bak - roughly translates to "to bake your balls"; commonly used to suggest relaxation or lying in the sun and doing nothing
* bal hang - doing nothing
* bek - derogatory term for mouth (Afrikaans: an animal's mouth); hou jou bek - "shut up" (literally" "hold your [animal's] mouth"). This translates well into British English as "Shut your gob."
* bergie - from berg, mountain, originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain; now a mainstream word for a particular subculture of vagrants in Cape Town. When used as slang refers to anyone down-and-out
* bill - used to ask for the cheque; as in: "Can I have the bill, please?"
* biltong - dried meat, similar to jerky (a mainstream word)
* bioscope, bio - cinema, movie theatre (now dated), originally a international English word that became defunct elsewhere, it has survived longer in South Africa as a result of the influence of the Afrikaans cognate bioskoop.
* bliksem - strike, hit, punch; also used as an expression of surprise/emphasis (rude; many consider the word a profanity). It derives from the Dutch word for "lightning", and often occurs in conjunction with donner. Used as a curse in Afrikaans: Jou bliksem!
* blou - to be tired also meaning high or stoned in relation to the american slang term stoned
* boer - literally “farmer” in Afrikaans. English-speaking people use the word to indicate an Afrikaans farmer, especially in a derogatory way, like “country bumpkin”; but Afrikaners use it with much more pride, indicating a person with a deep love of the soil of Africa, a provider of food.
* boere/ "gattas" - the police (plural of boer). Afrikaners (stereotyped as farmers, once dominated the police-force. This usage ties in with the derogatory meaning of 'boer', but Afrikaners use it with much more pride, indicating a person with a deep love of the soil of Africa, a provider of food.
* boerewors - spicy sausage (Afrikaans) farmer-sausage, used as a mainstream word in South African English
* bokkie - (diminutive of "bok", literally meaning "goat" or "doe") a popular term of endearment, comparable to "sweetheart", "honey", etc.
* bosberaad - strategy meeting held outdoors, for example in a game reserve.
* bossies - crazy, whacko, mad. Also a term to describe one who has shell shock. Refers to the time of the South African Border War where soldiers spent time in the bush ("bos/bosse") and would return home suffering battle flash-backs.

Updated 15 August 2008...

Comments

[Steven Jones]

This reminds me of the commanding officer's address at my first parade in the Army way back in 1988:

"Verlede jaar, was die taal van die Weermag, Afrikaans. Suid-Afrika is 'n tweetalige land, so hierdie jaar, gaan die taal van die Weermag ... Afrikaans wees! Vir die van julle wat Engels-sprekend is ... good morning."