RWAF.ORG - The Baobab

AG 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 Pronounced "dorner", 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, 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 emphasis 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?"

IS IT? This is a great word in conversations. 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 for capitalism once they adopt a work ethic and respect for privateowner-ship." It is quite appropriate to respond by saying, "Isit?"

JA WEL NO FINE 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."

JIS LAAIK Pronounced "Yis-like", it is an expression of astonishment. For instance, if someone tells you there are 2 billion people in China, a suitable comment is "Jislaaik, that's a hang of a lot of people, hey?"

KLAP Pronounced "klup" - meaning smack, whack or spank. If you spend too much time at the movies at exam time, you could end up catching a sharp klap from your pa. In the UK, that is called child abuse. In Rhodesia, it was called promoting education.

LEKKER 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.

TACKIES These are sneakers or running shoes. The word is also used to describe automobile or truck tyres. "Fat tackies" are big tyres, as in "Wheredid you get those lekker 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 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 termhas 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 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." This phrase can also mean 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 A 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 Means "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". It is used by all language groups to describe anything one really doesn't like. Most commonly it describes fruit and vegetables whose shelf-lives have long expired, but a pair of tackies (sneakers), worn a few times too often, can be termed "vrot" by 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."

JA-NEE "Yes/No". This expression's origin is believed to have originated when a family member starts talking politics 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 Means to eat. If you are invited to a bioscope show, you maybe asked: "Do you want to catch a graze now?"

CATCH A TAN This is what you do when you lie on the beach pretending to study for your exams. 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 Telephone call; as in "Ja Boet, I'll give you a bell just now." Which means phoning anytime from now to eternity.

SCALE To scale something is to steal it. A person who is "scaly" is not nice. He's a scumbag and should be left off the Christmas party invitation list.