Saw a really interesting translation of a frequently used word here on the forum :
FUCKED UP

Translated in Afrikaans :

VAKTAP

Shorter and to the point.


And then I also met someone that is using the word, and now I am not quite sure to post this not to be disrespectful, but the word in Afrikaans is : PO.S. (Please note that this is in no way disrespectful or derogatory, it is just such an interesting literary anomaly)

I have in my lifetime not heard it used so extensively and comprehensively as by this person, ie
1.) Ek gaan jou n P...klap gee
2.) Daai Brutal Fruit is P...lekker
3.) Hy is n moerse P...
4.) P..Off
5.) P... dit in die drom
6.) Jou P...
7.) Sy dink haar P... stink
8.) Ek kry nou P... koud
9.) Ek sweet nou dis so P...Warm
10.) P... net uit my lewe.
11.) Ek gaan jou P... as jy dit weer doen
12.) Soen my weer, dit was P... Lekker
13.) P.. haar. Sy is n P...
14.) P... Weg

Innovative and original. We call it literary freedom, or freedom of speech.

The one that I knew about, was the favourite Capie one, namely describing your friend's mother, as in : Djou Ma se P...
or the more descriptive terminology from my student days which extrapolated the reference to your friends mother, showing a much more intimate knowledge of your friends mother than what you would think is possible :
Jou ma se siflis besmette bloedbevlekte BloedP...
(Please note that the DJOU made way for JOU, so it was a more literary accurate description, unless one got stuck at the Dros)

Imagine my horror walking into this barrage of language on my very first day of initiation. That word was sacred and never ever used like that. Nearly thought of stepping forward and taking the man on, but he was just too dog ugly and smelt like liquor, so I wisely let that one slide.

The ultimate descriptive one came the next day, when I heard the particular colour variation of pink being described as :
BinneP...Pienk (the guy that described it as such was in fact a distant relative). That is why I would never ever buy pink roses. The analogy is just too close. Even my pink shirt I will only wear at home, just too scared someone familiar with the term, ie someone from the same res, might mention it. And we are a clan of note. And we meet in strange places. And we always help each other. And we are always very polite. The clan. But I digress. Just now an ouman van die Plek sees this. But then the Plek is in it's moer. Might just end up in an unpleasant place.... Goed GeP...

That is a term that will stay with me till the end of days.

But then I was young and innocent.

Now I am just innocent....

And this word is also frequently used in the English language, pretty much in the same context as above. So it has transponded the langauge barrier and became, at least as I experienced it, a universally acceptable descriptive word.

Not quite socially acceptable though.

But used with so much gusto that one can but gaze at the beautiful mouth that spew that word forth, and then usually really dirty thoughts would invade my brain. And then suddenly it becomes acceptable. My whole upbringing just disappearing and basic instinct take over.

Man, I am weak.

Jou ma se e-pos.

Damn... Those words are really not nice to hear or speak them.. My personal thought of words like that is that I truly think you can harm someone more by saying something direct with descreet words as to using words like those.. And if any person does take offence by words like that its mainly cause they use them as well... People tend to say bad things in the wrong way its so easy.. But its just as easy to say nice things in a straight way...

Rather leave the gutter slang of the Cape Flats where it belongs:
in the gutter.

Not quite right Ben Lauden - Rathet take Africaans to where it belongs an Africaans site !!'n

Peterbux, thank you for your insights. On the word "vaktap", I have discovered through the years that its usage has increased to the extent that it is actually considered proper "working language" i.e. no connotation with the commonly used Anglo-Saxon expletive. This is probably as a result of the translation from "English" to kitchen Afrikaans, without an understanding of the etymology (and associated connotations). I have discovered (to both my joy and disgust) that it is also not confined to South Africa, and have met some people who were (somewhere along the line) definitely exposed to a South African journeyman. If something is broken, useless, unserviceable, then it's vaktap -- and people say it with a straight face.

It is really amazing how language evolves and develops -- the youngest Germanic language (Afrikaans) has been influenced by the English and left its imprint not only on this continent, but some others too. It is also not the first time -- the Dutch speak of an "opgevokte koei" (a pregnant cow) and if you are in the farming / milk industry, there is really nothing better! I find that both exciting and fascinating -- we are witnessing linguistic history everyday!

I have no doubt that some of the mainstream African languages (such as Xhosa, Zulu and Sesotho) have also had their own impact. I'd really like to hear some more stories similar to this - who knows -- perhaps I am using words and language on an everyday basis whose meaning might actually offend someone.

O moedertaal, o soetste taal,
vir jou het ek lief bo alles!

I like the way words are shortened to match the way they are enunciated in Afrikaans.

For example:
Dis nie a kwessie van...
or
Ons is nie hensoppers nie.

Or this priceless one:
Ek skrik my amper boeglam.

My personal favorite... One that was uttered often by my GI in basics many many years ago...

Djy, Ya djou tief... djy is so duermakaar soes kots... vat die duivel mak djy nou !

Forgive the abysmal spelling... I learned to speak the language well but never to write it as well at all. Apologies to those of the short-pants and long socks for mangling your language.

And then this descriptive one that I still use regularly :

Ek is nou so befok dat ek die hel kan natpis.

Or :

If I want to swear at someone but not actually use a swearword :

Jou hoennerhoer.
Just think for a momemnt , a chicken whore ? How bad is that ?

Fairly passable language ?