One time i got up and put the controller down and we started fighting. A listing of south african slang words can also be found here. Cracking the south african english dialect language. South africa has 11 official languages, but the easiest place to start is with south african english. Master these and more south african slang phrases before your trip to. Biglipped tyrone, or for female version biglipped tyreesha. As was the case in most colonies, english was introduced first by soldiers and administrators, then by missionaries, settlers, and fortuneseekers. South african tribe dominant in the eastern cape province. This comes from the khoisan people of the kalahari desert, whose language bears no relation to english or afrikaans. Big cities like cape town, johannesburg, pretoriathe capital, and coolest of all, durban. This speaks true for the various slang words that almost every south african knows and loves.
South african names the journey book african quotes. Learn some south african slang greet a south african. Most people in the urban areas understand and can speak basic english so, if your english is ok, it is not totally essential to learn any of these languages to get by as a tourist. The living in south africa book includes three comprehensive pages of typical south african slang words. This is a south african philosophy derived from the isizulus word for goodness with the centraltenet that a human being is a human being because of other human beings, a human being is not an island. Stories from a south african childhood by trevor noah, waiting for the barbarians by. In 20, a satirical blog originally titled zef kinners briefly became a viral success in south africa and then faced legal claims after it was started as a student school project, posting photos of people the blog considered to exemplify zef. After youre done, brush up on some southern manners and learn how to pronounce these commonly mispronounced arkansas names. Youll find info on which are the official languages and which are the most popular home languages and what people will say when they great you and teach you some real south africa slang words. South african war noun modern term for the angloboer war of 1880 to 1881, in recognition of the fact that while the principal combatants were the british and boers, other nations and communities such as africans and indians also took part.
This can be stretched to include inviting a black or minority friend over for dinner. Take this list along so you can preempt any confusion and even impress your new south african friends with your knowledge. It was adopted as a derogatory term after 1948 when the apartheid system was established. In south africa, the word was loosely used to refer to black south africans. Ag the g is guttural, so pronounce it in the back of your throat. Remember one thing as south africa prepares to go to the polls this week and the world grapples with the ascendancy of the african national congress leader jacob zuma. Given its geographical and cultural distance from other englishspeaking countries, south africa has come to develop its own class of vocabulary, particularly in the realm of slang words and phrases. Durban or ethekwini slang is a collision of the fast talking swag of the indian population, the slower more relaxed speech of the beach community and the gooing in of some powerful zulu words to dala you into being a true durbanite.
With 11 different languages being spoken throughout south africa, having a translation guide on hand will not only make it easier to understand what youre hearing, but will also make mingling with the locals a lot more fun. South african slang and other afrikanerisms monkeyland. For example, a lift is an elevator and traffic lights are referred to as robots its true. The southern slang dictionary will help you avoid confusion if you are planning to visit the south. A bestseller in south africa and successful abroad, the book has been reissued with additional material. This is a glossary of south african military terms compiled by peter dickens, david kiley, norman sander and other veterans in the south african legion, it is by no means definitive of all the terms used, quite a lot can be happily added and please feel free to notify me of any omissions. The following slang words used in south african originated in other parts of the commonwealth of nations and subsequently came to south africa. South africa has a very rich cultural population, which embodies the meaning of diversity. In south africa, ag agh is not short for aggressive or agriculture its a filler word to express irritation or resignation. Slang for jafa which means just another fing aucklander.
South african slang and other afrikanerisms birds of eden. This list of afrikanerisms comprises slang words and phrases influenced by afrikaans. Ill teach you all the slang used in my country, in a relaxing whisper, of course. Hangover, often the consequence of a really good braai. Its a bit out of date, but all the phrases are still in use and understood mostly. He downs his drink and says, i see you havent changed. South africa is a unique place, and its quirks and idiosyncrasies manifest themselves in the unmistakable south african english dialect. By deciding to embark on a safari adventure, you are willing to invest time and money into extensive preparation that ensures you will get the most out of your trip into the wild. In south africa, no one doubts that wednesdays elections will be free and fair. The late late show with james corden recommended for you. Asmr south african snacks show and tell softspoken.
Languages in south africa typical slang words south. Birds of eden in plettenberg bay, south africa is a worldclass free flight bird sanctuary that aims to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of freeflight african birds and. It is usually eaten with the fingers, not a knife and fork. Jun 10, 2017 bunny chow is a curry served in a hollowedout loaf of bread. In addition to meticulously organizing your safari itinerary, you should also set aside some time to familiarize yourself with the language of the wild safari speak. It will only contain tourism related events and posts. Given the countrys rich linguistic heritage, south african slang borrows from a range. Which was written in the 70s and deconstructs south african pronunciation and slang. No matter what your language, let us always remember the quote from nelson mandela.
South african slang reflects many different linguistic traditions afrikanerisms. The south african english does not only sound different t han the english you know from english speaking countries such as england, the usa or. Here are a few useful south african slang words and phrases to help you during your travels. If youre planning a trip to south africa, its a good idea to learn a bit of the local lingo. So embrace the uniqueness of a sunny culture envied by the rest. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The apartheid policy, in effect from 1948 to 1991, prevented indian children from publicly interacting with people of english heritage. While most south african slang is made up of adopted nonenglish words e. If somebody says theyll do something just now or now now, it actually means theyll do it in a little while or at. It has some of the best surfing spots in the world. These are some of the most common and not so common southern slang terms heard in arkansas and throughout the south. In south african english context, howzit is more a greeting of hello rather than how are you. South african slang reflects many different linguistic traditions. This south african slang is from the berg mountain.
Find and book hotels and accommodation in south africa. Our own product development manager, who was born in south africa, has compiled a list of south african slang words and their american translations. Thanks to the variety of languages spoken in south africa, locals tend to borrow words from each language, resulting in slang words or phrases known as south africanisms. It is one of the most commonly used phrases in the country. The practice was inspired by, and was roughly contemporary with, the development of. A travellers guide to south african slang st communications. Aug 17, 2012 the english language in south africa sae dates from the arrival of the british at the cape of good hope in 1795. Its one of the few cockney rhyming slang words to survive in the country, coming from china plate mate. This list of afrikanerisms comprises slang words and phrases influenced by afrikaans and other african languages. Quagga is pronounced as kwaghuh is another south african slang word. South african slang you need to master before your trip. South africa arms outstretched and eyes locked on her audience, koleka putuma is a.
If you are south african, afrikaans, zulu, xosa, etc. Return from languages in south africa to south africa facts. See more ideas about african, africa and south africa. Birds of eden in plettenberg bay, south africa is a worldclass free flight bird sanctuary that aims to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of freeflight african birds and miniature monkeys. I live in auckland and am south african and i jokingly refer to myself, or my fellow south africans as a saffer. Boerewors is usually braaied and eaten on a hot dog roll with tomato sauce and mustard. South african surfers talk funny mostly because theyre surfers, but also because theyre south african. The lexicographer takes us inside the world of rough, truthful language from rhyming slang and cant to the streets of baltimore and an etymology of the fword. She tells it like it is, and some dont want to hear it. Known to the rest of the world as a barbeque, the braai is so much a part of the south african culture that we even have a national braai day. China means good friend, as in, this okes my china. Coetzee, cry, the beloved country by alan paton, life and times of michael k by j. Uniondale tourism uniondale, western cape, south africa.
Meaning farmers sausage, this term describes a savory sausage that was developed by the afrikaners approximately 200 years ago. Brand south africa south african english has a flavour all its own, borrowing freely from afrikaans, which is similar to dutch and flemish, as well as from the countrys many african languages. Indian south african english isae is a subvariety that developed among the descendants of indian immigrants to south africa. To most people, china is the worlds most populous country, but to a south african it can mean something entirely different. Under crimen injuria, the epithet kaffir has been actionable in the justice system of south africa since 1976. Typical users include people with afrikaans as their first language but who speak english as a second language.
So i go back to south africa to both lose myself and gain awareness of myself. Dec 18, 2016 first of all, south africans are a fun loving bunch and love to kuier socialize and chow eat and we do it around a fire with a couple of dops beverages. So it is definitely a term you will hear more and more especially since one big cellphone provider use it as their slogan. A south african explores the madness in his country, his tribe and himself, this book was a bestseller in south africa and elsewhere when it came out in 1990. Sa surf language or surfrican slang surfing in south africa. For example, in south africa, the word now doesnt always mean what you think. On this page, we will tell you about languages in south africa and which ones are the most spoken languages in this country. Funny south african jokes and puns will make you laugh.
In south african slang this expression refers to something surprising or as a seal of approval as in cool, so much fun. Jul 18, 2019 exploring the world of south african brandy. South african slang everyone should know imagnary house. Brandy has been made in south africa since the late 17th century. South africa, contrary to popular to belief, is very modernized in certain areas. Given the countrys rich linguistic heritage, south african slang borrows from a range of different influences, including afrikaans, zulu, and xhosa. English has been spoken in south africa for over 200 years, at least since the british seized the. A real estate agent who sells a home in an upperclass white neighborhood to a black family, thus lowering the values of other homes in the neighborhood. Here we translate south african english and a bit of afrikaans to american english and spanish. South africans speak english, but that doesnt mean youll always. South africans have made it a slang word to mean really. English has been spoken in south africa for over 200 years, evolving into a distinct dialect with a vocabulary strongly influenced by indigenous languages. Every time i go back, it doesnt take long for me to get caught into a very different thing. Many of these terms also occur widely amongst south african coloureds.
This is the south african slang word for punch or hit derived from the afrikaans. Our local slang is a strange mixture of words and phrases from the languages of settlers from europe and asia, as well as indigenous peoples, notably xhosa, zulu, sotho and khoisan. Taken from the eleven official languages of south africa, these slang words are some of the funniest and most expressive phrases in the world. Uniondale tourism, uniondale, western cape, south africa. If youre planning a trip to south africa, learning a little slang helps you to break the ice, make new friends and connect with the local culture. Afrikanerisms this list of afrikanerisms comprises slang words and phrases influenced by afrikaans. The term is so well used here that it has almost lost its derogatory nature and is as noted in post here just another slang term for a south african. Learn to understand the locals with our comprehensive guide to mzanzi taal. The best books on slang five books expert recommendations. Drawing from 11 official languages with english, isizulu, isixhosa and afrikaans being the most dominant, south africas slang reflects the. Charlize theron was called out for speaking afrikaans duration. An intro to south african slang friendly planet travel.
South african slang south africa language south african. After a few dops, he puts his arm around her and suggests they go to bed. South african slang words our guide will help you to understand the most common south african slang words, those words you surely will hear and learn to use when visiting or living in cape town. Kyle hans brockmann has compared zef counterculture to many similar anarchic subcultures in the northern hemisphere.
South african slang you need to master before your trip south africa has a very rich cultural population, which embodies the meaning of diversity. English, afrikaans similar to dutch, zulu, xhosa, ndebele, southern sotho, northern sotho, tsonga, tswana, venda and swati. Forget oxford english or suiwer pure afrikaans tsotsi taal has taken its place in south africa s linguistic tapestry. South africa gives me a perspective of whats real and whats not real. Believe it or not, isit, pronounced as izit, is a is it in english. South africa, with its 11 official languages, is blessed with a rich slang culture that can be quite daunting for foreign visitors heck, even some residents flounder. Leon schusters lekker, thick south african joke book, page 106. The best books on slang recommended by jonathon green. This is an expression of two tribes that is the isixhosa and the isizulu. A beginners guide to speaking south african slang tripsavvy.
Also, check out our jacob zuma and nigerian jokes in our jokes categories. South african english is riddled with many south africanisms drawn from 11 official languages. South african slang and other afrikanerisms birds of. Find a long list of typical south african slang words here. If youre visiting south africa any time soon, its useful to know a few turns of phrase to help you along the way. The letter x is pronounced with a click emanating from the sides of the mouth, as if you. Glossary of south african military terms the observation post. List of south african slang words project gutenberg self. Make sure you roll the r when pronouncing this word.