List of South African slang words

South African slang, reflects many different linguistic traditions found in South Africa.

Contents

Afrikanerisms

This list of "Afrikanerisms" (referred to as "funagalore" - not to be confused with the created language (lingua franca) Fanagalo which was used in the mines of South Africa to ensure workers from various language backgrounds could communicate) comprises slang words and phrases influenced by Afrikaans and other African languages. Typical users include people with Afrikaans as their first language but who speak English as a second language; and people living in areas where the population speaks both English and Afrikaans. Many of these terms also occur widely amongst South African Coloureds, these terms do not occur in formal South African English.

Words from KhoeSan languages

Words from Xhosa, Zulu and the other Nguni Languages

The following lists slang borrowings from the Nguni Bantu languages (which include Zulu and Xhosa). They typically occur in use in South Africa's townships, but some have become increasingly popular amongst white youth. Unless otherwise noted these words do not occur in formal South African English.

Words from SeSotho and SeTswana Languages

Words from Portuguese

Original South African English coinages

Slang originating from other countries

The following slang words used in South African originated in other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations and subsequently came to South Africa.

Slang terms originating from ethnic minorities

South African slang

The majority of Coloureds in South Africa speak Afrikaans. Those who speak English use the equivalent English words as slang. Many of the words used also occur in South African Indian speech.

(used in KZN)

South African Greek slang

South African Indian slang

Many of these terms occur in the Cape Town and Durban areas, and few in Indian areas in Gauteng.

South African Jewish slang

South African Lebanese slang

Special-use slang

Kasi / township slang

Gay slang

Slang developed in the 1970s to allow the speakers to converse in public without drawing attention - usually referring to girls' names often with the first letter in common with the intended meaning[7]:

See also

References

  1. ^ The Oxford English Dictionary notes the special usage of the word "bioscope" in South Africa
  2. ^ a b c d Branford, J. & Branford, W. 1991 A Dictionary of South African English
  3. ^ a b c d Jean Branford (1980). A Dictionary of South African English. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195701771. http://books.google.com/books?lr=&id=rJ8YAAAAIAAJ. Retrieved 2008-05-20. 
  4. ^ Born to Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All of Its moods by Michael Wex p.88 ISBN 0-312-30741-7
  5. ^ Compare "Semitic roots" in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
  6. ^ "Benni and the boot". The Sowetan. 2008-06-03. http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=777824. Retrieved 2008-07-12. "Only 31.55% of the SMS poll respondents said McCarthy should not be booted out for doing the Benni, his uncharitable habit of turning his back on his country." 
  7. ^ [1]

External links