Yesterday a team from New Mexico was here at Lighthouse for a couple hours to play with the babies and toddlers. They were so excited to discover that I am from the States and actually know that New Mexico is not the same as Mexico. They had lots of questions for me.
One of the guys from the team asked me if I had picked up any words from the African languages yet. In the Northwest Province (where I'm living) most of the white people speak English and Afrikaans, and most of the black people speak English and Tswana.
I explained that although I'm hoping to learn some of the languages here, I'm first just trying to learn South African English, which is somewhat different from the English we speak in the States. The locals speak with a thick British accent, and they use a lot of words and phrases that we don't usually use.
Here are a few examples:
pick-up truck = bakkie
tennis shoes = takkies
diapers = nappies
see you later = see you just now
pacifier = dummy
any break from school including the weekend = holiday
cookies = biscuits
potato chips = crisps
apartment = flat
grades (i.e. 1st grade, 2nd grade) = standards
Several times now I've caught myself speaking with a hint of a British accent, and I have a feeling after 9 more weeks here that this is going to become more of an issue. :)
I've moved!
11 years ago
2 comments:
all your crazy african words remind me of our phrases here like "nappy nap" and "snacky snack" haha you will fit in just fine... :)
bakkies..nappies...oh how I miss all of the fun words I learned!!
I will pass one onto you that I learned while I was there: Baya dankie (in Afrikkans it means 'thank you very much') (when you say it, is sounds like you are saying 'buy a donkey' ! :)
You may have already learned this but I just thought I tried and help a dear friend out!
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