This is not aimed at initiating a political debate or flame war!

Being a bit out of the mainstream as to news from SA, I was flabbergasted to read about the magazine Wallpaper* and it’s comment regarding Afrikaans. As a SA ‘Soutpiel’ my reaction amazed me.
I felt more than slightly offended by this comment describing Afrikaans as "one of the ugliest languages in the world". Really!

In which other language can you say Yes-No and people actually understand you! Other great words, phrases, saying etc. include:

Obviously Ja-Nee
Taai klap
Soutpiel
Sak Sarel
Voetsek

Also the multiple meanings associated with:

Nut (moer)
Lightning (bliksem)
Thunder (donder)
Tobacco (twak)

Also in which other language can imported retreaded tubeless tyre actually become a tongue twister?

Ingevoerde versoolde binnebandloose buiteband!


Anybody add any others?

Don't the SA's use 'not' twice in a negatve sentence? Dat moei niet doen niet.

Sorry for the spelling, I'm Dutch no SA..
My mother emigrated to SA when she was a girl, but her parents ( and she..) returned to the Netherlands after a few years. This was in the 60's.

Eric, you should be able to have a look in at the Dutch Forum I suppose?

Groeten
Henk

Eric,

The ultimate Afrikaans word has got to be "kak"! It can be used in so many contexts and with so much emotion.... it's just a brilliant word! :-)

Of course don't firget our national pastime..... BRAAI!!!!! Using the word barbeque just doesn't sound right to a Saffer... Can't go wrong with a "tjop en dop"...

Rudi

p.s. just to make you all jealous.... we're having fantastic warm weather for Christmas - remember those? Sunny Christmas? Kersfees langs die swembad met a lekker tjoppie, 'n bietjie pap en a lekker kouie Castle?

I lived in SA for 25 yrs before returning to the UK and always found Afrikaans to be a fantastic language. The multi-faceted ways you can express humour is particularly good, and the are no better exponents of the language than the Cape Colored community, with whom I had the pleasure of working whilst living in the Cape.

For those that speak it:
I think the best ever comment I ever heard was made in parlaiment by a politician about Ferdi Harzenberg (leader of the ultra-conservative HNP party): "Hy is so verkramp jy kan met hom ploeg"

Brian

Jy moet dit nie doen nie!

Geoff

Dag se Brian,
I haven't laughed so much for a long time.
I do miss the SA humour and sunshine and wors and koeksisters and ........
Geoff :-)

Heres another one from a late nite fishing session at the Vaal - in describing a morning meeting with a miserable neighbour: "Hy hang oor die hek soos a stuk suur deeg"

I make my own wors, biltong and droewors - wife has me on a diet at the moment so I've got 8kg of wors in the freezer I cannot touch

Ag no man. Now you really are making me honger.
Haven't had any of those in years.
Pity you are so far away, otherwise I would be camping outside your front door right now :-)
Goed gaan kerel.
geoff

there is a very short, very tanned scouse guy from work who i was stunned to discover lived in SA for about 30 years without losing his scouse accent :-) :-) I have NO idea how he manages to speak afrikaans in scouse !!!!

It's taken me a couple of days trying to get my head around this!
I've heard Afrikaans being mangled, but never with a Scouse accent.
Dear me no matter how I try, the old gray matter refuse to even try to 'visualise' this.
Whatever, it must be something to hear
Geoff
Rooinek

I've (on separate occasions) heard Afrikaans spoken with both a Geordie & Welsh accent, all I can say is it brought tears to my eyes, same as peeling onions do, although peeling onions is not painful on the ears. :-) :-)

A Geordie speaking Afrikaans - What's afrikaans for "Pet" ?? :-) only joking you geordies, I'm a very broad accented brummie so I can hardly take the p**s!!! :-) :-)