WOODPECKER LODGE – Understanding
South Africans
To help foreign tourists
understand some of the unique South African Lingo:
BRAAI: What is a braai? It is the first thing you will be invited to
when you visit South Africa . A braai is a backyard
barbecue and it will take place whatever the weather. So you will have to go
even if it's raining like mad. At a braai you will be introduced to a substance
known as mieliepap.
AG: This one of the most useful South African words. Pronounced like the"ach" in the German "achtung",
it can be used to start a reply when you are asked a tricky question, as in:
"Ag, I don't know." Or a sense of resignation: "Ag OK, I'll have
some more mieliepap then." It can stand alone
too as a signal of irritation.
DONNER: A rude word, it comes from the Afrikaans "donder" (thunder).Pronounced "dorner",
it means "beat up." A team member in your rugby team can get donnered
in a game, or your wife can donner you if you come back from a braai at three
in the morning.
EINA: Widely used by all language groups, this word, derived from the
Afrikaans, means "ouch." Pronounced "aynah".You
can say it in sympathy when you see your friend the day after he got donnered
by his wife.
HEY: Often used at the end of a sentence to emphasize the importance of
what has just been said, as in "You're only going to get donnered if you
come in late again, hey?" It can also stand alone as a question. Instead
of saying "excuse me?" or "pardon me?" when you have not
heard something directed at you, you can always say: "Hey?"
IZIT?: This is another great word to use in
conversations. Derived from the two words "is" and "it", it
can be used when you have nothing to contribute if someone tells you something
at a braai. For instance, if someone would say: "The Russians will succeed
in their bid for capitalism once they adopt a work ethic and respect for
private ownership." It is quite appropriate to respond by saying:"Izit?"
JA WELL NO FINE: This is another conversation fallback.
Derived from the four words: "yes", "well", "no"
and fine", it roughly means "OK". If your bank manager tells you
your account is overdrawn, you can, with confidence, say: "Jawelnofine."
KLAP: Pronounced "klup" - an
Afrikaans word meaning smack, whack or spank. If you spend too much time in
front of the TV during exam time, you could end up getting a "klap" from your mother. In America, that is called
child abuse. In South Africa, it is called promoting education. But to get
"lekker geklap" is to get motherlessly drunk.
LEKKER: An Afrikaans word meaning nice, this word is used by all
language groups to express approval. If you enjoyed a braai thoroughly, you can
say: "Now that was lekk-errrrrrr!" while
drawing out the last syllable.
TACKIES: These are sneakers or running shoes. The word is also used to
describe automobile or truck tyres. "Fat tackies"
are really wide tyres, as in: "You've got lekker fat tackies
on your Vôlla, hey?"
DOP: This word has two basic meanings, one good and one bad. First the
good: A dop is a drink, a cocktail, a sundowner, a
noggin. When invited for a dop, be careful! It could
be one sedate drink or ablast, depending on the
company. Now the bad: To dop is to fail. If you
"dopped" standard two (Grade 4) more than
once, you probably won't be reading this.
SAAMIE: This is a sandwich. For generations, school- children have
traded "saamies" during lunch breaks. In
South Africa you don't send your kid to school with liver-polony
saamies. They are impossible to trade!!
BAKKIE: This word is pronounced "bucky"
and can refer to a small truck or pick-up. If a young man takes his
"girl" (date) in a bakkie it could be considered
as a not so "lekker" form of transport because the seats can't
recline.
HOWZIT: This is a universal South African greeting, and you will hear
this word throughout the country. It is often accompanied with the word
"Yes!" as in: "Yes, howzit?". In which case you answer "No, fine."
NOW NOW: In much of the outside world, this is
a comforting phrase: "Now now, it's really not
so bad." But in South Africa , this phrase is
used in the following manner: "Just wait, I'll be there now now." It means "a little after now".
TUNED GRIEF: To be tuned grief is to be aggravated, harassed. For
example, if you argue with somebody about a rugby game at a braai and the
person had too much dop (is a little "geklap"), he might easily get aggravated and say:
"You're tuning me grief, hey!". To continue
the argument after this could be unwise and result in major tuning of grief..
BOET: This is an Afrikaans word meaning "brother" which is
shared by all language groups. Pronounced "boot" but shorter, as in
"foot", it can be applied to a brother or any person of the male sex.
For instance a father can call his son "boet"
and friends can apply the term to each other too. Sometimes the diminutive
"boetie" is used. But don't use it on
someone you hardly know - it will be thought patronizing and could lead to you
getting a "lekker klap".
PASOP: From the Afrikaans phrase meaning "Watch Out!", this warning is used and heeded by all language
groups. As in: "The boss hasn't had his coffee yet - so you better pasop boet" Sometimes just
the word "pasop!" is enough without further
explanation. Everyone knows it sets out a line in the sand not to be crossed.
SKOP, SKIET EN DONNER: Literally "kick, shoot and thunder",
this phrase is used by many South African speakers to describe action movies. A
Clint Eastwood movie is always a good choice if you're in the mood for of a
lekker skop, skieten donner
flick.
VROT: Pronounced - "frot". A expressive word which means"rotten"
or"putrid" in Afrikaans, it is used by all
language groups to describe anything they really dislike. Most commonly
intended to describe fruit or vegetables whose shelf lives have long expired,
but a pair of old tackies (sneakers) worn a few years
too long can be termed "vrot" by some
unfortunate folk which find themselves in the same vicinity as the wearer. Also
a rugby player who misses important kicks or tackles can be said to have played
a vrot game - opposite to a"lekker"
game(but not to his face). A movie was once reviewed
with this headline: "Slick Flick, Vrot
Plot."
ROCK UP: To rock up is to just, sort of arrive (called "gatecrash" in other parts of the world). You don't
make an appointment or tell anyone you are coming - you just rock up. Friends
can do that but you have to be selective about it. For example, you can't just
rock up for a job interview.
SCALE: To scale something is to steal it. A person who is
"scaly" has a doubtful character, is possibly a scumbag, and should
rather be left off the invitation list to your next braai.
JA-NEE: "Yes No" in English. Politics in South Africa has
always been associated with family arguments and in some cases even with
physical fights. It is believed that this expression originated with a family
member who didn't want to get a klap or get donnerred, so he just every now and then muttered "ja-nee". Use it when you are required to respond, but
would rather not choose to agree or disagree.