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Having lived in Scotland for quite a large chunk of my life....

Try saying this one quickly : driebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein .
or in english : threebuffaloeswithoneshotwastedeadshotfountain .

Haha, the sad thing is that I AM actually trying...

Okie, does that place actually exist?

Flutterby - I grew up very close to where you are ( but that's another story ) , and yes , in fact there used to be a farm in that area , towards Hartebeestpoortdam , with the name : Drie-buffels-met-een-skoot-geskiet-fontein .

From Wikipedia.

So believe it if you want to, but at your own risk.

So there you have another one

Anther interesting rule in Afrikaans is " the double negative " , not found in other languages .
For instance we would say in English " I did not know " - in Afrikaans " Ek het nie geweet nie " - directly translated meaning " I did not know not ".
But if we go further we could say : " Ek het nie geweet dat hy nie geweet het nie " , and translated directly into English " I did not know that he knew not ".

Interesting thread. I am learning a few new pronunciations here. I am born and bred Safrican so I feel for the overseas visitors. We don't just have 2 languages to battle with but 11 official languages. Quite mad! Please someone pronounce that dam which sounds rude. ( Near P Kop)

As an "only English" speaker speaker and to avoid the "rude" bit.... I call it Shy-ta-larvay am I close??

Here is help from a Rooinek, (not an Afrikaner), Moose.

Samevloeiing - Confluence, if you struggle with Sarma Flooying
Ooricka ruse.
KK.

Now this could be a lively debate, but here goes. Koo bitchy Cwap. (as in strap...you thought I was going to say .ap didn't you!)

Leoo drill, is about the easiest.

Hey Moose, you sound just like me with Waarsie Leeus besottedness. Must be some truth in it

SG - Regarding Kruger. Isn't it from German extraction. Then surely the 'g' would be pronounced.

BB: Thanks so much and WELL DONE for tackling something that everyone seems to be avoiding... I shall go and practice those.

And about the 'Waarsie leeus" thing- my response always depended on how many times i'd been asked in a day. The first few to ask would have me enthusiatically telling them exactly where the leeus were and wishing them all the luck in the world (if I actually knew where they were).

The ones who asked at times like at leopard/ cheetah sightings or other amazing sightings, or if they were unfortuante enough to be the 5th person to have asked me in a day, would get a response ranging from "Oh my goodness, there are lions in Kruger?? Have you seen any?? I've not heard of this before... " to a simple, "You're asking the wrong question. Have a look at everything else there is to appreciate here" at which point i'd drive away. It did really get to me at times. I was never mean-spirited to anyone about it, just disappointed that people didn't understand where they were.

It's the fact that "WAARSIE LEEUS", was never proceeded by any sort of friendly greeting- ever.

No , BB , the "g" is silent ,( like the "p" in "water" )

A bit off topic, but it is interesting how the Boere changed some of the English names to make it more Dutch or Afrikaans friendly. Sir Redvers Buller became 'Die Rooivers Bul' 'Nicholas' became 'Niklaas' My first
name, Guillaume, became 'Gieljam' In the same breath, the British also changed some of the African names to suit their tongue like Mahikeng became Mafeking. Kgalagadi was changed to Kalahari. Musina was Messina and so the list continues.

Talking about languages, can anybody explain to me why the Boere and the Souties decided to give names to birds which differ so drastically. A Guinea Fowl is a Tarentaal. A Sunbird is a Suikerbekkie. A Flufftail is a Vleikuiken. Was it because the two groups were still de moer for each other after the Anglo Boer War?