South Africans should learn to speak each other's languages, says KZN artist

[Lupus]

Yeah we tend to speak really fast when we get angry lol. That said Afrikaans is the only language I know of that where swearing can be so expressive. I mean it just doesn't have the same ring. When you say this in english, Jou ma se fk dom vrot p*s in n jam blik. A verbal assault from an angry afrikaans guy feels like a physical assault.

It actually does feel like that, also it just makes Afrikaaners seem so angry... Cause most of the time that's where I hear it from angry Afrikaaners and they aren't the most eloquent when they are angry.

 

[mojoman]

I cant really speak Zulu too well but I understand a fair bit...Best not to let on either...

Its also amazing how many people when hearing I come from the UK 37 years ago, think I cant understand Afrikaans...I just smile and say ja, I dont understand any of it...



I think people should make an effort. I wish I didnt have a prick of a zulu teacher back in my school daze and I might have enjoyed languages a bit more (I remember getting a hiding for saying Im a lolipop instead of amalolipop....)

 

[Vorastra]

Nope. I'm just shocked you lived with people for 10+ years without making any effort to understand them.

Most spoke English and those who didn't got translated by my workers. So why would I. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[PrimeSteak]

Yeah we tend to speak really fast when we get angry lol. That said Afrikaans is the only language I know of that where swearing can be so expressive. I mean it just doesn't have the same ring. When you say this in english, Jou ma se fk dom vrot p*s in n jam blik.

Agreed.

Afrikaans is well known for its high-octane swearing.

A verbal assault from an angry afrikaans guy feels like a physical assault.

You get emotionally bliksemed...

 

[Okty]

Nope. I'm just shocked you lived with people for 10+ years without making any effort to understand them.

The same can be said for those that could not speak English...

 

[JuliusSeizure]

I got 40% for afrikaans.

I was actually quite good at it. I used to get As for most of high school but ended with 77% in matric, haha.

I sucked at the essays but was quite good at paper 1 and 2. You could get by with rules and memorization for the most part.

But even though I was decent at it at school, I'm far from fluent IRL.

 

[JuliusSeizure]

Agreed.

Afrikaans is well known for its high-octane swearing.

You get emotionally bliksemed...

Afrikaans like Russian sounds cool when you swear in it. Ive seen guys who hardly even speak Afrikaans suddenly start speaking it when angry and drunk.

 

[Okty]

The interesting thing is when you study other language groups is realising unnecessary fluff in all the language groups.

Examples, having is and are in english when other language groups uses only form (manderin included)

Double negative in afrikaans

Gender versions in languages such as french/german

Unnesecary noun groups in buntu languages

Etc

 

[Beyond.Celsus]

The minority too important to speak the language of the majority
Sounds about right

 

[PrimeSteak]

It actually does feel like that, also it just makes Afrikaaners seem so angry... Cause most of the time that's where I hear it from angry Afrikaaners and they aren't the most eloquent when they are angry.

Afrikaners are emotional people.

Hence when we get angry, we don't get angry, we get dik befok. Unparalleled anger, lol.

 

[Vorastra]

I got 40% for afrikaans.

Hello fellow Afrikaans disrespecter.

 

[Vorastra]

The minority too important to speak the language of the majority
Sounds about right

Cry about it in English.

 

[Beyond.Celsus]

Cry about it in English.

Yes.
Because I am too important to speak any other language

 

[Vorastra]

dik befok

Phrasing.

 

[PrimeSteak]

Phasing.

?

 

[JuliusSeizure]

The minority too important to speak the language of the majority
Sounds about right

I definitely think that more minorities definitely should learn SA languages other than English and Afrikaans but SA is also more complex in that the majority does not have one language as is the case in say China or Japan.

Most Zulu's for instance cannot understand Venda as well.

If black South African's all only spoke Zulu, I'm pretty sure more minorities would have been speaking the language.

 

[Vorastra]

?

Imagine it was English.
Wait, why'd you quote me as "phasing" when it was "phrasing".

 

[ForceFate]

The same can be said for those that could not speak English...

Lived amongst English speakers but couldn't learn to speak the language...?

I picked up basic xiTsonga phrases listening to an ex colleague. How hard is it to pick something up listening and interacting with hundreds daily?

 

[PrimeSteak]

Afrikaans like Russian sounds cool when you swear in it. Ive seen guys who hardly even speak Afrikaans suddenly start speaking it when angry and drunk.

Admittedly, it's super fun to swear in Afrikaans. You get your point across quite well when swearing in Afrikaans...

 

[PrimeSteak]

Imagine it was English.

It's informal Afrikaans my guy, LMAO.

Wait, why'd you quote me as "phasing" when it was "phrasing".

Because I can...