I am blessed to live in one of the most attractive and also vibrant countries in the world. I cant see me ever leaving this country unforcefully but even forcefully I will still put up a big fight. Cause no country in all my travels are prettier, more diverse and friendly than my beloved South-Africa. The truth, however, is that a man`s heart runs through his tummy and maybe this is the main reason why I will never leave this country for good. From butternut soup to Melktert a South African kitchen is a dangerous place to be if you love food.
I decided to introduce my country by also introducing its 11 official languages that are not just recognised but also honoured and respected in South-Africa. Being a South-African are all about accepting change, embracing it and standing together. We have a culinary cuisine that is developed from Indian straight through to the Netherlands, we have animals that are not just majestic but also almost distinct, not to even mention the fauna and flora that some are so rare you will find them only here. Yes, this is South-Africa the country on the tip of mother Africa but our drums of joys are in our people. That is why I decided to not only to discuss and translate a few English words in the dominant 4 languages in South Africa but rather all of them cause to experience South Africa completely are to at least understand here and there everyone in our country, however, English is our main language and will get you basically through the whole country without a hiccup or in a rare situation you probably would like to understand when someone shouts: Watch out for the LION or SHARK. Depending on where you are at that moment but whatever you do in that situation I suggest your first reaction must be run or swim as fast as you can to safety.
I decided to start you as a reader and traveller off with a few South African terms and words and the introduce the wonderful provinces to you. With each province, we visit we will also learn more about that particular region's primary language like for instance in Limpopo we will learn a few phrases in Tshivenda. But the main focus for me lies in the culinary part and there for I nominated a cuisine to a province, for example, Gauteng will have 5 recipes of authentic South African starters etc etc. Because we must be realistic as South-Africa are a hard country, we are different in many ways and because of this unique attribute a simple misunderstanding or naivety can get you in trouble and thats why the last section also discusses some safety tips while visiting.I hope this book will be helpful and enhance your experience in our country but do note that although I did my best to make the phrases and information as accurate as far as I possibly could I am not a professor or Language expert and had to ask the man on the street to translate for me a phrase in his mother tong that I must admit was an experience I will never forget. However, I would like to use this opportunity to thank UNISA Language department as well as Google Translate, that helped me to overcome some hiccups along the way and some Professors really went out of their way to assist me. As I learn something new almost every day while writing this book, I can only hope you get the same experience from this venture.
Happy travels, reading and cooking.
Speaking South-Africanwhen everyday life turns 11 languages into one
Thanks to its melting pot of 11 official languages, South Africans tend to use a lot of South Africanisms drawn from the various languages. South African conversational English and Afrikaans is littered with words and phrases from its seductive menu of official languages, so dont be shy to mix it up. Heres an example of an English everday conversation:
Steven: Howzit my china?
Wendy: Hundreds bru!
Steven: Why dont you chuck on your cozzy and plaatjies and jump in the bakkie. Well stop at the Spaza shop for some biltong padkos and head to my chommies larney rondavel where we can sit on the stoep, braai some sosaties and boerie and catch the latest skinner.
Wendy: Yebo, sounds lekker man. Ill be ready just now.
Other South Africanisms to get you chatting the truly South African way:
Aikona not on your life / never
Aita (Pronounced ai-tah) a greeting
Arvie afternoon
Bobotie (Pronounced buh-boor-tea) served with yellow rice and raisins, this is a spicy traditional Malay mince with an egg custard topping
Babbelas (Pronounced bub-elas) South African Afrikaans for hung over or tender
Bakgat when something is done correctly
Bakkie a utility / pick-up truck or Tupperware container
Biltong - dried, seasoned meat, similar to jerky
Bioskoop (Pronounced bio-skoowp the Cinema
Biscuit South African Afrikaans for cookie, used as a term of affection Wendy, you biscuit!
Bliksem hit or punch
Bitter Koud (Pronounced bitterrr-coat South African Afrikaans for very cold
Boer Afrikaans word for farmer
Boerewors (boerie) spicy South African farmers' sausage
Boetie (Pronounced Boettea South African Afrikaans for little brother, this can also be used as a nickname.
Bokkie a small buck, or affectionate name for a female (my bokkie)
Bra Afrikaans word for male friend - dude in English
Bru male friend
Braai a BBQ
Cell mobile phone
Choc township slang for R20 note
Chommie / china my friend
Choon South African Indian slang for telling someone something, could also be a song
Chow to eat
Cozzy (Pronounced cozzie) swimming / bathing costume
Dik bek sulking / pouting
Diski South African township slang for football e.g. Learn the Diski Dance for 2010
Doss a nap
Dorpie (Pronounced door-pea) a town small in size
Dro wors (Pronounce Drew-a-voars) dried sausage, similar to biltong
Eina! (Pronounce A-nah) Ouch!
Eish! (Pronounced aysh) a phrase of exclamation e.g.. Eish! I am so tired
Fundi expert
Gatvol fed up, had enough
Gelukkige Verjaarsdag (Pronounced Ggeluk-kighe Ferrr-yaars-dag) South African Afrikaans for Happy Birthday
Gogga - bug in Khoikhoi
Gooi (Pronounce 'g' as a rolling 'gggg' almost like a cat purring) chuck or throw something
Highway motorway / freeway
Howzit how's it going? How are you?
Hundreds excellent, good Hi buddy how are you? I am hundreds
Indaba from the Zulu language meaning a matter for discussion or widely known in South African English as conference
Just now interchangeable meanings which could be just now tomorrow... or perhaps never
Kombi a minivan
Kwaai (Pronounced kw-eye) a homonym meaning cool, excellent or angry in South African Afrikaans
Monkey's wedding a rain shower when the sun is out
Plaatjies (Pronounce 'tj' as an 'ck') flip slop sandals (also see slip slops)
Laaitie (Pronounces as lighty) a young person, usually a young male such as a younger brother or son
Laduma! (Pronounced la-doom-a!) it thunders in Zulu - used when a goal is scored in South African soccer matches
Larney fancy / designer
Lekker great / tasty
Makarapa a modified, decorated miners' helmet used by South African soccer fans