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I sound a bit confused whenever I talk now. Actually I sound a little crazy, but really it's just that I can't seem to pick a side. I've been here long enough to have two cultures running around in my head and I've got a few of my language wires crossed. As it turns out, even though we both speak English, South African English and American English are two very different things.
To avoid confusion, let's have a little lesson shall we?
For starters, if you need something to wipe your mouth with during a meal, you need to ask for a "serviette", as a napkin, refers a ladies sanitary product. This causes much blushing at tables all over SA. Don't let this happen to you.
You don't text people here, you "SMS" them. As in, "Shoot me an SMS later about lunch."
"Pudding" means dessert here. As in, "You are in charge of bringing pudding to the party." They do not want you to show up with a bowl of refrigerated Jello pudding. They want you to bake something sweet.
If you cut yourself and need a bandaid, you need to ask for a "plaster."
"Please pull your "trolley" up to the till to check out with your groceries."
Be sure to grab your "cozzie" for the beach later. As in "bathing costume."
You will need to ask Marc to borrow his "bakkie" to move your couch. (Pronounced "bucky")
Grab your "takkies", we are going for a run! Pronounced "tacky" as in running shoes, trainers etc.
A "robot" is a stoplight or traffic light... as in "Take a right at the robot." Nothing to do artificial with intelligence.
"Sorted" - As in "I'm all set" or "I'm good to go."
"Hectic" - In the States we would say you had a hectic day, let's say, if you had a flat tire and were late to work and spilled your coffee while driving your kid to school. Here "hectic" means something terrible, tragic, bad or wrong... like if you had a "hectic" past, you probably did heroin and were a prostitute and have a warrant out for your arrest. Not the same thing at all. So no matter what happened to you this year, you did not have a "hectic" summer.
"Is it?"- Used like one word "Izit?"- An expression frequently used in conversation and equivalent in the States to "Really?" or "Is that so?" or "No way!" Sometimes used to express disbelief or shock. If you told a friend that your dishwasher broke last night. They might respond "Izit?"
"Rock up"- To arrive somewhere or go someplace unannounced, unplanned or uninvited. It's the kind of thing either someone rude would do or if you are close enough friends you could do. As in "I can't just rock up there without calling!" or "She won't mind if I just rock up for a cup of coffee real quick."
"Pitch" - Show up. If you are invited to a party and you show up, then you pitched. If you skip work for any reason, you didn't pitch.
"Shame" - Broadly denotes sympathetic feeling. Someone admiring a baby, kitten or puppy might say: "Aww shame!" to emphasise its cuteness. Or if something mildly tragic happened... a broken crayon, a late bus or a small misunderstanding. "Shame about your team losing last night."
"Oke"- Pronounced "oak." Meaning bro, mate, friend, bloke, brother from another mother, dude. As in "That oke and I go way back."
"China" - Same as above, meaning bro, mate, friend, bloke, brother from another mother, dude. As in "That china and I go way back." or "My china and I rocked up to the bar last night to pick up girls." This one threw me for a big loop. It has nothing to do with Asia at all....
It's actually been a funny few months of misunderstandings.... just trying to communicate with the locals.
Can you even imagine if I had to learn another language? Let's hope I can still speak Tennessee when I get home!
Love it- the pictures make this blog!
I love this one. I think I could learn a thing or two from South Africans. Love ya, china!