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The Afrikaans we miss in Aus


OnYellowBrickRd

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How do you explain the word "sommer" to an Australian or an Engelsman or to anyone else, for that matter? It's not only a foreign word, it's a foreign concept. Perhaps the English never do anything "just sommer". But when you've explained it, it's been adopted enthusiastically ..
Although there's no Australian equivalent either, they sommer take to the idea.
"Why are you laughing? Just sommer."

"Bakkie" is another one of those useful "portmanteau" words (see - English doesn't have a word for that, either), very useful around the house, for all sizes and shapes of containers and dishes. Also used for what they call "utes" in OZ. I find it an indispensable word.

We all know "voetstoots" of course. It's been officially adopted into South African English. There's no concise, one-word equivalent in English. "As is" just doesn't hack it. And it's such a humorous word, conjuring up images of pushing that brand new car home...

There's no good English word for "dwaal". It doesn't mean dream, or daze. It's close to absent-mindedness, but that's not quite it. Being in one so often myself, I'm not likely to stop using it.

I think "gogga" is the most delightful word for insect I've ever heard. Children all over the world should use it. "Insect" just doesn't stand a chance.

And the exclamation of disgust “sies” - doesn’t that just obliterate the English “phew”?

And then there's "gatvol". OK, I know it's very rude. But it's so very expressive, NE? "Fed up" doesn't have half the impact. It's like Blancmange in comparison. "Gatvol" is a word used more frequently than ever in the workplace these days, with increasing intensity.

While we're on the subject, another phrase which outstrips any English attempt is "Hy sal sy gat sien". (Also rude). "He'll get his come-uppance" is like milquetoast in comparison. It definitely lacks the relish.

"Donder" is another very useful word, used as an all-purpose swearword, which again has no good English translation. Used as a verb, it can express any degree of roughing up. As a noun, it is a pejorative, as they politely say in dictionaries, to mean whatever you want it to mean.
And there's no good translation for "skop-skiet-en-donder" either.

It says something about the English that they have no word for "jol". Probably the dictionary compilers regard it as slang, but it's widely used for "Going out on the town, kicking up your heels, enjoying yourself..." Not just getting PISSED out of your Skull. (See, there's no English translation) Although curiously, the word "Yule" in Yuletide is related to "jol" and derived from Old English. So Somewhere along the line, the English forgot how to "jol".

I've yet to meet a South African over the age of two who doesn't use the word "muti". Translation is impossible - "witches potion" is about the nearest I can get. It needs a long cultural historical explanation. Between "muti" and the pedantic "medication" , there's simply no contest.

And of course, my personal favourite ":censored: en betaal" , which just says it all, doesn't it? A bland and effete English translation would be "Cough and pay", or "Breathe and pay". But it just doesn't cut it, does it? Not by a long drop.

Other words that come to mind:
jou bliksem, wag 'n bietjie, nie so haastig nie, just now, sakkie-sakkie music, ou swaer, Ja - nee, How are you? No, I'm fine thanks?

How do you explain the passion of "LEKKER!"? Wow last night was a "lekker jol"

Dudu or doeks. Telling your infant to go to bed is just not the same as: "Go dudu now my baby!"

How about 'bliksem" - "I'm going to bliksem you" or "Ek gaan jou donder"! Both wonderful Afrikaans expressions with nothing to compare in the English language, at least nothing that gives the same satisfaction.

Trapsuutjies...........the way certain maids and others work. Slowcoach
just doesn't do it, hey?

Mielie pap - there is no word like 'pap', here... they have porridge, and when they say porridge, they mean
oats. There's no Maltabela, no Tasty Wheat, no Creamy Meal, no Putu pap. In other words, there's no pap!

Mislik - such a 'lekker' word, and one that my kids are familiar with. "Why are you so mislik, you little skelm?
Do you want a snot-klap?" Which brings us to 'skelm' - here you just get 'baddies', but that doesn't have the same sneaky connotation of a proper skelm, does it?! And snot-klap... fabulous word! How would you say that in English? 'I'll slap you so hard the snot will fly?' Yuk! Just not the same.

'Loskop' is another favourite. The English just don't understand when I say "Sorry, I forgot - I'm such a loskop!" ha ha

Finally, 'moer'! There simply isn't a word here that denotes the feeling behind "If you don't clean your room, I'll moer you!"

And what about 'poephol'?

And of course.....don't forget the word 'Voetsek!" No direct translation for that either. Just sommer means "Shut Up" or "Go away" or "You're talking crap"

And "now now". No one else in the world uses this English version of the Afrikaans concept "nou nou" or "just now" which totally confuses the English.

Finally, there is the word “lappie”. Rag or facecloth don’t come near!

Edited by OnYellowBrickRd
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Afrikaans is seker een van die kleurvolste tale in die wereld, ek is trots daar op.

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HEHE,daar sal darem seker eventually engelse woorde uitgedink word vir afrikaanse segued daar,wees maar sterk-you must get strong,hehe.

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Ah, I've seen this one before OYBR.......I think we maybe do have some of our own English words............even some that are regionally specific that are uniquely expressive......I could share some Scottish words that you would love.........every language has its own beauty and rhythm

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I really enjoyed this post. I am very english and I have to admit...ek praat nie baie goed afrikaans nie. I have tried and failed. The worst is when I was waitressing and I would give my most valiant efforts to speaking afrikaans to the clients...I had many laugh at me and tell me to speak english and some who refused to have me as their waitress. But I will say I tried.

Reading through these though...I actually use alot of these words in day to day life. So there certainly is something about some of those words that is a better description that any english words I could use.

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Ek soek al jare lank vir iemand wat die volgende eenvoudige Gr2 sinnetjie vir my in Ingels kan vertaal.

"Die kat hardloop onderdeur die tafel."

Hy hardloop nie onder die tafel nie en ook nie deur die tafel nie so "under" en "through" werk nie. Dit beteken nie dieselfde nie.

Dan is daar sinne soos:

"My pen is in my hand."

Wat presies dieselfde beteken en gespel word in beide tale, maar anders uitgespreek word.

BriD, we have a word for your attempts to speak Afrikaans, or anything sounding terrible. "Kakofonie" :-)

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Bliksem... so 'n bek moet jam kry :D

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Genugtig!!

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Help me out Jacques, my Afrikaans is poor, how about a rough translation of the above and I'll see what I can come up with? Incidentally, you know that Dutch, English etc are all Germanic languages.

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Yes, Germanic in origin, but a bit discordant in evolution ;)

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As is Afrikaans :)

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That is the problem, I can't get a rough translation.

Cat on the left, table in the middle of the room.

Cat runs towards the table and passes through between the legs of the table to the other side.

Under would imply the the cat does not leave the vicinity of being under the table. In Afrikaans we would say "onder die tafel" but it does not mean the same as onderdeur.

Through would imply that the table now has a cartoon cat shaped hole in it after the action.

onderdeur

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How about, the cat runs beneath and through the legs of the table, which implies that the cat runs underneath the table and through the legs on the other side.

I mean if you say that a train passes through a tunnel, you simply know that it enters one side and exits the other.

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Thanks OYBR, That was fun to read and added one more piece to my south african education on here :)

I must admit though the english version next to the afrikaans word seemed to be more formal english rather than the slang equivalents we use here as they do elsewhere in the english speaking world. Maybe the author (you?) is not aware of all the english slang out there as it can be very country specific...?

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If you google it Fish, you will find the original anonymous version that is a little bit naughtier than this one. I have to agree though that slang and regional (and often more descriptive) English terms have not been considered in favour of dry formal language. Also portmanteau is a French word, and also a fusing of two words to form one meaning.....and as we know is also in use here in Australia.There are so many French words in common usage in English, such as melee, brunette, bric-a-brac, cliche, facade, faux pas....

I know the whole essence of the original anonymous posting is to suggest that there are no equally descriptive terms in English, but that is just not the case...........................nevermind, the interesting thing is the evolution of langauge and as Afrikaans is a very young language it is good to be able to witness that evolution. I wonder which words will survive and which will be lost through time.

Ask your wife if she knows what a "cloot" is and if she had clootie dumpling as a child, or stottie cake.....and if anyone ever threatened to "stot her heid against the wa" for being naughty ( hopefully not).

All languages are beautiful and that is why they need to be spoken and preserved.

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Here is an interesting one. 100 beautiful and ugly words Notice how emotive the words are.

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The cat passes under the table ?

Fish, That is probably the closest one will ever get. I will certainly use that. You are definitely not obtuse.

However, to me, in my limited Afrikaans-English vocabulary, passes means "verby" or "loop verby" or "hardloop verby"

It does not seem as descriptive as the original Afrikaans version, to indicate to me that the cat was specifically running at the time.

Edited by Jacques Voogt
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Then you would say the running cat passes under the table, or if you wanted to indicate it was being chased you would say the fleeing cat passes under the table or, the cat speedily passed under the table or, the cat sped under the table and exited the other side, or if you wanted to get more fancy you could say, the fleeing feline flashed beneath the table and through the other side........

Forgive me, I just love the ability of words to paint a picture.

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The cat made like a tree and leafed :P

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There are indeed many ways to skin a cat...

Perhaps I am just lazy and prefer a short sentence straight to the point describing the event in as few words as possible.

If I could speak Khoesan, I would simply go "!" or "click" and everyone around the campfire would understand that "The cat was chasing a mouse that passed under the table while it was trying to create a diversion so that his female and babies could attempt to escape in the other direction beneath a few thorny bushes next to the water's edge of the orange river that has been in flood for the last few days due to the unusual torrential rains experienced by the region attributable to the global warming effect of green house gasses produced by the burning of fossil fuels in electricity plants and internal combustion engines built and used by city dwellers so that they can increase their productivity and manufacturing in order to cater for the demands of international trade in textiles that was the core of the industrial revolution that originated in Europe in the..... , and therefore the cat passed under the table"

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The cat could likes to get outa the way :D

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Thank you for the giggle Jacques, I needed it today....it's been a tough day.

Gideon, what ARE you doing? A snotklap coming your way methinks :)

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