When we first moved to South Africa, I knew I would have to learn Afrikaans. I wanted to learn Setswana as well, somewhere down the road. What I didn't know was that I would have to learn English. The words, the phrases, and idiomatic expressions of South Africa are so different that four years later I still have moments when I say "Huh?" in confusion. In fact, they make separate dictionaries for South African English:
If you want to know just how different South African English is, click here.
Add to that all the slang words, and you can understand why I view South African English as a completely different language to British or American English.
Add to that all the slang words, and you can understand why I view South African English as a completely different language to British or American English.
2 comments:
I'll say it again: I LOVE this language and really want to learn it! I read the list. There are some Dutch words in there! My grandfather used to call me "Lekkerdabek"- "sweet-tooth" :) I'm a dork. I wanna use some of these words now!
I alwasy thought that SA and British English would be about the same... my only exposure to SA at the time being a lady who brought her children to the day care i worked at.
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