South Africa has 11 Official Languages. This fact absolutely blows my mind! I can't imagine living in a country with that many languages. It seems to me that there may not be any continuity in their communication however that is not true. There are a few words that are universal that I managed to learn as they are used widely in Botswana as well and I like to call, "South African," despite that not being a real language. If you inquire as to what any of these words mean in English they will look at you funny and tell you, they are English, not because they are, but because they are universal.
- Howzit- This is a greeting meaning "Hello, how are you?"and is appropriate in ever language.
- Braai- This means "grill" and refers to a barbeque or a grill to cook on. Can also mean a big traditional South African cook out.
- Curio- Simply means souveneir
- Billtong- A south african style beef jerky.
- Combi- A large mini bus that is used as public transport. Generally packed with about 20 people.
- Isn't it/Iz it?- Both are used as confirmations much like "right?"
Hope you enjoyed the light hearted lesson in culture.
Love to All,
Tommy
1 comment:
So it'll be interesting to see how many of these african-isms stay in your vocabulary and for how long :-P
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