I am blessed to live in one of the most attractive and also vibrant countries in the world. I can’t see me ever leaving this country unforcefully but even forcefully I will still put up a big fight. Cause no country in all my travels are prettier, more diverse and friendly than my beloved South-Africa. The truth, however, is that a man`s heart runs through his tummy and maybe this is the main reason why I will never leave this country for good. From butternut soup to Melktert a South African kitchen is a dangerous place to be if you love food.
I decided to introduce my country by also introducing its 11 official languages that are not just recognised but also honoured and respected in South-Africa. Being a South-African are all about accepting change, embracing it and standing together. We have a culinary cuisine that is developed from Indian straight through to the Netherlands, we have animals that are not just majestic but also almost distinct, not to even mention the fauna and flora that some are so rare you will find them only here. Yes, this is South-Africa the country on the tip of mother Africa but our drums of joys are in our people. That is why I decided to not only to discuss and translate a few English words in the dominant 4 languages in South Africa but rather all of them cause to experience South Africa completely are to at least understand here and there everyone in our country, however, English is our main language and will get you basically through the whole country without a hiccup or in a rare situation you probably would like to understand when someone shouts: Watch out for the LION or SHARK. Depending on where you are at that moment but whatever you do in that situation I suggest your first reaction must be run or swim as fast as you can to safety.
I decided to start you as a reader and traveller off with a few South African terms and words and the introduce the wonderful provinces to you. With each province, we visit we will also learn more about that particular region's primary language like for instance in Limpopo we will learn a few phrases in Tshivenda. But the main focus for me lies in the culinary part and there for I nominated a cuisine to a province, for example, Gauteng will have 5 recipes of authentic South African starters etc etc. Because we must be realistic as South-Africa are a hard country, we are different in many ways and because of this unique attribute a simple misunderstanding or naivety can get you in trouble and that’s why the last section also discusses some safety tips while visiting.I hope this book will be helpful and enhance your experience in our country but do note that although I did my best to make the phrases and information as accurate as far as I possibly could I am not a professor or Language expert and had to ask the man on the street to translate for me a phrase in his mother tong that I must admit was an experience I will never forget. However, I would like to use this opportunity to thank UNISA Language department as well as Google Translate, that helped me to overcome some hiccups’ along the way and some Professors really went out of their way to assist me. As I learn something new almost every day while writing this book, I can only hope you get the same experience from this venture.
Happy travels, reading and cooking.
The Author
Thanks to its melting pot of 11 official languages, South African’s tend to use a lot of South Africanisms drawn from the various languages. South African conversational English and Afrikaans is littered with words and phrases from its seductive menu of official languages, so don’t be shy to mix it up. Here’s an example of an English everday conversation:
Steven: ‘Howzit my china?’
Wendy: ‘Hundreds bru!’
Steven: ‘Why don’t you chuck on your cozzy and plaatjies and jump in the bakkie. We’ll stop at the Spaza shop for some biltong padkos and head to my chommie’s larney rondavel where we can sit on the stoep, braai some sosaties and boerie and catch the latest skinner.’
Wendy: ‘Yebo, sounds lekker man. I’ll be ready just now.’
Other South Africanisms to get you chatting the truly South African way:
Aikona – not on your life / never
Aita (Pronounced ai-tah) – a greeting
Arvie – afternoon
Bobotie (Pronounced buh-boor-tea) – served with yellow rice and raisins, this is a spicy traditional Malay mince with an egg custard topping
Babbelas (Pronounced bub-elas) – South African Afrikaans for hung over or tender
Bakgat – when something is done correctly
Bakkie – a utility / pick-up truck or Tupperware container
Biltong - dried, seasoned meat, similar to jerky
Bioskoop (Pronounced bio-skoowp – the Cinema
Biscuit – South African Afrikaans for cookie, used as a term of affection – Wendy, you biscuit!
Bliksem – hit or punch
Bitter Koud (Pronounced bitterrr-coat – South African Afrikaans for very cold
Boer – Afrikaans word for farmer
Boerewors (boerie) – spicy South African farmers' sausage
Boetie (Pronounced Boet–tea – South African Afrikaans for little brother, this can also be used as a nickname.
Bokkie – a small buck, or affectionate name for a female (my bokkie)
Bra – Afrikaans word for male friend - dude in English
Bru – male friend
Braai – a BBQ
Cell – mobile phone
Choc – township slang for R20 note
Chommie / china – my friend
Choon – South African Indian slang for telling someone something, could also be a song
Chow – to eat
Cozzy (Pronounced cozzie) – swimming / bathing costume
Dik bek – sulking / pouting
Diski – South African township slang for football e.g. Learn the Diski Dance for 2010
Doss – a nap
Dorpie (Pronounced door-pea) – a town small in size
Droë wors (Pronounce Drew-a-voars) – dried sausage, similar to biltong
Eina! (Pronounce A-nah) – Ouch!
Eish! (Pronounced aysh) – a phrase of exclamation e.g.. Eish! I am so tired
Fundi – expert
Gatvol – fed up, had enough
Gelukkige Verjaarsdag (Pronounced Ggeluk-kighe Ferrr-yaars-dag) – South African Afrikaans for Happy Birthday
Gogga - bug in Khoikhoi
Gooi (Pronounce 'g' as a rolling 'gggg' almost like a cat purring) – chuck or throw something
Highway – motorway / freeway
Howzit – how's it going? How are you?
Hundreds – excellent, good – Hi buddy how are you? I am hundreds
Indaba – from the Zulu language meaning a matter for discussion or widely known in South African English as conference
Just now – interchangeable meanings which could be just now tomorrow... or perhaps never
Kombi – a minivan
Kwaai (Pronounced kw-eye) – a homonym meaning – cool, excellent or angry in South African Afrikaans
Monkey's wedding – a rain shower when the sun is out
Plaatjies (Pronounce 'tj' as an 'ck') – flip slop sandals (also see slip slops)
Laaitie (Pronounces as lighty) – a young person, usually a young male such as a younger brother or son
Laduma! (Pronounced la-doom-a!) – it thunders in Zulu - used when a goal is scored in South African soccer matches
Larney – fancy / designer
Lekker – great / tasty
Makarapa – a modified, decorated miners' helmet used by South African soccer fans
Mielie – corn on the cob
Naartjie (Pronounce 'v' as an 'f') – tangerine, mandarin
Ou Ballie – South African Afrikaans for old man
Oke (Pronounced oak) – a guy / bloke
Padkos – food for the road / journey
Pap / mielie meal – ground maize
Pavement – sidewalk
Robot – traffic light
Rondavel – free-standing round building which usually has a thatched roof
Sangoma – South African traditional healer
Shongololo – millipede
Siff – Used in South African English to describe disgusting, horrible or ugly – "This milkshake is siff!"
Skinner – gossip
Slap chips – French fries
Slip slops / slops – flip slop sandals
Spaza shop / cafe (Pronounced caffie – convenience store
Stoep – veranda
Sosatie – a kebab on a stick
Swak (pronounced – swuk) – South African Indian slang for bad or a lot on your shoulders
Tannie – Afrikaans for aunt
Tekkies – sneakers
Tokoloshe – evil spirit
Toyi-Toyi - South African Zulu for protesting and dancing in the street
Tsotsi (Pronounced Tzotzi – a person who does no good, gangster, layabout
Tune – to give a person lip – Don't you tune me
Veld – bush / grassland
Veldskoens / vellies (Pronounce 'v' as an 'f') – traditional Afrikaans outdoors shoes made from hide
Voetsek (Pronounce 'v' as an 'f') – go away / buzz off
Vuvuzela (Pronounced Voo-voo-ze-la ) – Setswana for a stadium horn, used by football fans during matches in South Africa
Yebo (Pronounced Yeah-baw) – Yes in Zulu
With its spectacular views, stunning wildlife and unbeatable biodiversity in contrast with its bustling modern cities, and vibrant economy, South Africa is often described as “the world in one country.” The country has more than 290 conservation parks. It is home to almost 300 mammal species and about 860 bird species, and 8 000 plant species.
The annual sardine run is the biggest migration on the planet.
There are eight World Heritage Sites and seven different biomes. It is considered the cradle of humankind and boasts 40% of all hominid finds on Earth.
South Africa has nine provinces. Each province has its own Legislature, Premier and Executive Council. The country has common boundaries with Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe while Mozambique and Swaziland lie to the north-east. Completely enclosed by South African territory in the southeast is the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
Every province has its unique culture and language, and that’s why I thought to introduce a few phrases in the languages applicable to that region on the end of the nine provinces I added a mini dictionary for does who like to increase their vocabulary.
Please take note that although I highlighted the main languages in each province, South Africa are such a wonderful rainbow country that even if you talk the language outside these regions I can guarantee someone will understand you. If foreign languages are not your thing, relax English will get you through the country unconfused as English is taught as a secondary language from the age of 6.
The Metropolitan province.
Located in the middle of the country, north of the Free State with a high altitude, pleasant summers and cold winters.
The province is known as the economic heartbeat of South Africa as it hosts two major cities namely Pretoria and Johannesburg making the province the most vibrant business environment with its ecological and cultural diversity.
Its also the site of Johannesburg International Airport by far the busiest airport in Southern Africa and most common entry point into the country for tourist.
Gauteng is not only the most prosperous province, but is also the smallest area, with the highest population density.it is at present the fastest growing province, with a population increase of about 100 000 per year.
Being the heartbeat of a country with a healthy economic growth, it beats fast and strong, providing a vibrant business environment and many opportunities for growth in all sectors. Not only does Gauteng contribute 33% of the South African economy, but also 10% of the Gross Domestic Product of the entire African continent.
Although Gauteng was built on the wealth of underground gold (40% of the world`s known gold is found here),the economy has since diversified, with more sophisticated sectors such as finance and manufacturing becoming strongly established, and therefore gold mining is no longer the mainstay. The province is essentially a mega-city- 97% of its population live in urban centres.
Gauteng is a Sesotho word meaning “At the place of gold” – a locative derived from the Afrikaans word goud (gold). The Initial “G” in both words is pronounced as “ch” in the Scottish “loch”. The Zulus took the English word “gold” and used their locative form eGoli to name Johannesburg, pronounced e (as in “egg”) GORE Lee.
Because of its vibrant cultural diversity the province has no dominant langauges. The main language in this province are between the four major languages namely; IsiZulu, Afrikaans, Sesotho and English. We already touched on Seshoto and will touch Afrikaans and IsiZulu a little bit later on in provinces where they are more dominant. I thought it will be the right province to introduce Sesotho sa Leboa a language spoken under the locals in the northern part of the province and especially in the Pretoria metropolitan and its surrounding townships. Locally the language is called North Seshoto reffering to the normal Seshoto as the South Seshoto.
Sepedi is also sometimes referred to as Sesotho sa Laboa or Northern Sotho. The language of Sepedi is spoken by approximately 4.7 million individuals and it is one of the 11 official languages in South Africa.
The Sepedi language is spoken most commonly in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Limpopo provinces. However, smatterings of it can even be heard as far afield as Botswana. It is part of the Bantu group, which belongs to the Niger-Congo sector and it is very closely connected to the Setswana and Sesotho languages. As with many religions and cultures, the Sepedi culture has its own defined set of traditions.
The wedding ceremonies of the Sepedi have earned them respect and popularity amongst those interested in African cultures. The closest family members of the bride and groom meet together ahead of time to discuss the wedding and, more importantly, the lobola (or bride price).
The bride’s family (usually her parents) request certain items from the groom’s parents in exchange for their daughter. The usual items include money and livestock, but they are not limited in the variety of things for which they can ask (whether premium liquor, property, gift vouchers or appliances).
A Sepedi wedding is not held in a church but at the home of the bride or groom. Once the bride is dressed for her wedding, she will go down to the river and collect enough water and wood for the ceremony. Her dress will be made from cowhide and is called a dintepa. The groom may choose to wear a suit for the big day.
When the bride has collected enough water and wood and completed other tasks set for her, she is ready to walk to her husband-to-be. As she walks, her grandmother sweeps the floor in front of her to “clear her way”. The ceremony and performance make or very exciting celebrations.
Once the couple has been married, the guests will rush to congratulate them. Then, a cow or sheep is slaughtered and the meat divided equally among the two families. When these formalities are over, the fun begins. Music, dancing, eating, and drinking are typical of the Sepedi wedding celebrations.
I have compiled a few everyday useful phrases for you to use while visiting our beloved country:
A few words that might be useful should you visit a place where Sepedi is spoken:
Hello – “Dumela”
Goodbye – “Gabotse”
How are you? – “O kae”
I am fine – “Ke Gona”
Yes – “ee”
No – “aowa”
How much is this? – “Ke bokae”