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South Africa English - a guide for other mother tongues

onewithnature
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Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 am
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Location: Midway between the infinite and the infinitesimal!

Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:49 am

Thanks Jazil. :thumbs_up:

Okay, here's another "SAnism" you'll hear all over SA:

AIKONA.
Pronunciation: Eye-Corner.
It's used when one wants to flatly disagree with something. A strong negative. Sort of translates into "never", "no way", "not on your life".
E.g. "Dad, I'm going out with Sipho tonight."
"Whaaaaaat! Aikona!"
Derived from the Nguni language.

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Re: South Africa English - a guide for other mother tongues

onewithnature
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Location: Midway between the infinite and the infinitesimal!

Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:27 am

Where's all the Saffies, or don't they speak the taal (language) anymore?

Until we get some support, here's another:

ANTIE.
Pronunciation: Unti.
Any older female figure to whom respect is accorded. An extension of the meaning of the English word "Aunty".
This is, most often, dialectical usage, often used by Indians or Coloureds.

(And, if we add an "s" to the end of the word "antie", it changes its meaning completely, and suggests a connotation that I cannot put on a public forum!)

Re: South Africa English - a guide for other mother tongues

CuriousCanadian
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Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:12 pm
Posts: 5204
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:52 am

I know I'm skewing the alphabetical order ..but what about sommer? I can't quite get how to use this word....

Re: South Africa English - a guide for other mother tongues

onewithnature
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Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 am
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Location: Midway between the infinite and the infinitesimal!

Mon Feb 21, 2011 1:24 am

"Sommer" is indeed a strange word to explain. It's almost like saying "just because", as if it has no particular reason for being like that. Yet "sommer" still seems to reinforce the word it precedes.

So, "this beer is sommer lekker" translates into something like "this beer is just so delicious".

That's how I interpret "sommer"; does anyone else have a different translation?

Re: South Africa English - a guide for other mother tongues

onewithnature
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Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 am
Posts: 19076
Location: Midway between the infinite and the infinitesimal!

Wed Feb 23, 2011 5:17 pm

Can't think of any more "SAffinisms" beginning with "A" ... if no-one else can add to the list, I'll give it a couple of days, then move on ...

Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

Stark
Virtual Ranger
Joined: Mon May 26, 2008 1:52 am
Posts: 1884
Location: Arizona

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:02 pm

One thing I love about South Africa is the diverse mixture of language used for places and things. :clap:

One thing I hate about South Africa is the diverse mixture of language used for places and things. :wall:

For example, I had no idea that I was pronouncing Hoedspruit wrong until I was actually IN Hoedspruit. (I'm sure I still don't have it quite right)

So, in order to keep foreigner embarrassment to a minimum, I thought it would be fun to have a thread where mites can put up words they struggle with and see if they're remotely correct in how they are pronounced.

So, I'm going to start with my first camp from my upcoming trip.

Biyamiti: I say Buy-ah-mee-tee. Which sounds alot like "Buy a meaty".

Am I anywhere close??

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

picnic

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:06 pm

Stark.

Sounds like you want to sell meat. :hmz:

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

Elsa
Moderator
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:31 pm
Posts: 7211
Location: Ballito, KZN North Coast, South Africa

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:09 pm

I pronounce it Bee-a-mee-tee
Not sure which is correct.

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

CuriousCanadian
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Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:12 pm
Posts: 5204
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:09 pm

Good one Stark....
I was lousy with pronunciation when I arrived....ZZ, SC, Elsa, Bennevis and all the wonderful 'mites I met at first helped me a tremendous amount.

potjie was one I struggled with until I heard it. Poe yee

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

picnic

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:13 pm

CC,and so we learn.

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

gjorgi
Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 5:25 pm
Posts: 121
Location: Pretoria, South-Africa

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:26 pm

Ai, I'm struggling to get this post through with my blackberry....here goes the fourth try hehehe. First of all, great topic I think!! Secondly, replace the "buy" with a "bee" and you've got Biyamiti under control Stark. And lastly CC, potjie is more poe kee....with the "kee" like in kareoKEE. Hope it helps!

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

CuriousCanadian
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Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:12 pm
Posts: 5204
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:35 pm

oops....

Thanks

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

Stark
Virtual Ranger
Joined: Mon May 26, 2008 1:52 am
Posts: 1884
Location: Arizona

Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:03 am

Glad you all clarified potjie...I was way off.

If this thread "grows legs" and we get involvement, I'll start putting together a glossary and place it in the first post. :thumbs_up:

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

arks
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Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:53 pm
Posts: 3757
Location: Cambridge, MA (and home from home in Darling, WC)

Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:22 am

Cool topic, Stark :thumbs_up:

I still struggle with some of the Afrikaans vowel sounds, have to remember that they are sometimes way different from English :redface:

And I've always been told that potjie is pronounced more like poi (as 'oi' in 'oi vey') kee. And while pronouncing it may be a challenge for us rooineks, eating it is baie lekker

(just showing off my 'pidgin Afrikaans' :roll:

)

Re: Proper pronunciation for SANParks travellers

CuriousCanadian
Distinguished Virtual Ranger
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:12 pm
Posts: 5204
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:35 am

Pronunciation key?

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