Words Only A South African Can Understand..........

My friend Barbara e-mailed me, thought is was perfectly in keeping with a post from my new online buddy the Nocturnal Wench (http://www.thenocturnalwench.com/wenchysblog.htm)

AG
This is 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, I'll have some more
mieliepap then." It can stand alone too as a signal
of irritation or of pleasure.

DONNER
A rude word, it comes from the Afrikaans "donder"
(thunder). Pronounced "donner", it means "beat up."
Your rugby team can get donnered in a game, or your
boss can donner you if you do a lousy job.

EINA
Widely used by all language groups, this word,
derived from Afrikaans means "ouch.". Pronounced
"aynah", you can shout it out in sympathy when
someone burns his finger on a hot mealie at a braai.

HEY
Often used at the end of a sentence to emphasise the
importance of what has just been said, as in
"Jislaaik boet, you're only going to get a lekker
klap if you can't find your takkies now, hey ?" It
can also stand alone as a question. Instead of
saying, "excuse me?" Or "pardon?" when you have not
heard something directed at you, you can say "Hey?"

ISIT?
This is a great word in conversation. Derived from
the two words "is" and "it", it can be used when you
have nothing to contribute if someone tells you at
the braai "The Russians will succeed in their bid
forcapitalism once they adopt a work ethic and
respect for private ownership." It is quite
appropriate to respond by saying, "Isit?"

JAWELNOFINE
This is another conversation fallback word. Derived
from the four words "yes", "well", "no" and "fine",
it means roughly "how about that?" If your bank
manager tells you your account is overdrawn, you can
say with confidence "Jawelnofine."

JISLAAIK
Pronounced "Yis-like", it is an expression of
astonishment. For instance, if someone tells you
there are a billion people in China, a suitable
comment is "Jislaaik, that's a hang of a lot of
people, hey?"

KLAP
Pronounced "klup" - an Afrikaans word meaning smack,
whack or spank. If you spend too much time at the
bioscope at exam time, you could end up catching a
sharp klap from your pa. In America, that is called
child abuse, in South Africa, it is called promoting
education.

LEKKER
An Afrikaans word meaning nice. This word is used by
all language groups to express approval. If you see
someone of the opposite sex who is good-looking, you
can exclaim "Lekkerrr!" while drawing out the last
syllable.

TAKKIES
These are sneakers or running shoes. The word is
also used to describe automobile or truck tyres.
"Fat tackies" are big tyres, as in "Where did you
get those lekke r fat tackies on your Volksie, 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. If you are invited over for a
dop be careful. It could be one or two sedate drinks
or a blast, depending on the company you have fallen
in with. 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.


SARMIE
This is a sandwich. For generations, school children
have traded sarmies during lunch breaks. If you are
sending kids off to school in the morning, don't
give them liver-polony sarmies. They are the
toughest to trade.

HOWZIT
This is a universal South African greeting and you
will hear this word throughout the land. It is often
used with the word "no" as in this exchange: "No,
howzit?". "No, fine." "No, isit?".

WHAT'S POTTING ?
Local vernacular for " Whats happening " or " What's
up" . This term has no gardening connection
whatsoever.

BIOSCOPE
A local word now losing a little fashion. Meaning
movie theatre, cinema, flicks or pictures, depending
on which part of the world you come from.

JUST NOW
Contrary to it's apparent meaning, ' just now ' can
mean anytime from now right through to the next
millennium. Asked to do a job you don't particularly
like, you would reply: "Ja, I'll do it just now"

NOW NOW
In much of the outside world, this is a comforting
phrase: "Now, now, don't cry - I'll take you to the
bioscope tomorrow." But in South Africa, this phrase
means a little sooner than soon. "I'll clean my room
now now Ma." Knowing that you will receive a well
deserved ' klap ' if you don't do it at once. It is
a little more urgent than "just now".

BOET
This is an Afrikaans word meaning "brother" which is
shared by all language groups. Pronounced "boot" as
in "foot" , it can be applied to non-brother. 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. Don't use
the term with someone you hardly know -- it would be
thought patronizing.

PASOP
From the Afrikaans phrase meaning "Watch out!". This
warning is used and heeded by all language groups.
As in: "Your ma hasn't had her morning coffee yet
Boet so pasop and stay out of her way." Sometimes
just the word "pasop" is enough without further
explanation.Everyone knows it sets out a line in the
sand not to be crossed.

VROT
Pronounced "frot". A wonderful word which means
"rotten" or "putrid"in Afrikaans. It is used by all
language groups to describe anything they really
don't like. Most commonly it describes fruit and
vegetables whose shelf-lives have long expired, but
a pair of takkies(sneakers), worn a few times too
often, can be termed "vrot" b y unfortunate folk in
the same room as the wearer. Also, a rugby player
who misses important tackles, can be said to have
played a vrot game; but not to his face
because he won't appreciate it. We once saw a movie
review with this headline "Slick Flick, Vrot Plot."
Vrot can also mean drunk - or afterwards, suffering
from a hangover.

JA-NEE
Afrikaans for "Yes/No". This expression's origin is
believed to have originated when a family member
starts talking politics (what else do we talk about
in South Africa?) and you don't want to cause a
political argument and get klapped or donnered. Then
every now and then you mutter, Ja-Nee." ( pronounced
yah -near )

GRAZE
In a country with a strong agricultural tradition,
it is not surprising that farming words crop up (pun
intended) in general conversation. Thus to graze
means to eat. If you are invited to the bioscope,
you may be asked: "Do you want to catch a graze
first?"

CATCH A TAN
This is what you do when you lie on the beach
pretending to study for your matric exams. The
Brits, who have their own odd phrases, say they are
getting "bronzed". Nature has always been unkind to
South African school children, providing beach and
swimming pool weather just when they should be
swotting for the mid-summer finals. If you spend too
much time "catching a tan" at exam time, you could
end up catching a sharp "klap" from your pa.

ROCK UP
To rock up at some place is to just sort of arrive.
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. You can't just
rock up for an interview or at a five star
restaurant. You give them a bell first, then you can
rock up.

BELL
South African vernacular for telephone call; as in
"Ja Boet, I'll give you a bell just now." Which
means phoning anytime from now to eternity.