We would like more people to learn one of the most beautiful languages in the world - Afrikaans. It is a language that is constantly and constantly changing. You may have some difficulties at the beginning, but over time you will reach perfection!
Steps
Step 1. Know that Afrikaans is the official language of many inhabitants of South Africa and Namibia, as well as of many emigrants to English-speaking countries
Afrikaans is a recent Germanic language with a much simpler grammar than English and Dutch. Not only is it spoken by 77% of Africans and 58% of whites in South Africa, but also by 11 different cultural groups as a first, second or third language. Today, Flemings, Dutch, Germans, English speakers, Swedes and even Poles and Russians are likely to come into contact with the simplest Germanic language in the world.
Step 2. Use it on the right occasions
Since Afrikaans has a rather guttural sound, it is also perfect for insults! Many South Africans only use it for this! Which is somewhat sad, but it certainly indicates a remarkable expressiveness of the language. However, if you are interested in learning Dutch, Afrikaans is a great place to start.
Step 3. Don't be fooled into thinking that we say goodbye with this sentence:
“Goeiemôre”, which means “good morning”. Nobody says it anymore. It's old school. When we greet someone, we simply say "hallo" or "hi" or something similar to "môre", or "day". Afrikaans has been heavily influenced by English.
Step 4. Ask someone how they are:
“Hoe gaan dit?”. "Oe" is pronounced "u" and the word means "like". The sound "g" at the beginning of "gaan" is guttural. It is the most difficult sound in Afrikaans. To pronounce it, think of the sound of a car hitting the gravel. A scratchy sound, as if you have something in your throat and want to get it out. After thinking about it, try the whole word: "gaan". "Aan" is pronounced "on", nasal. "Gaan" means "go" and can be used in any sentence, often with a prefix or suffix. Finally, the word "dit" means "it". It reads as it is written, but the sound "i" is nasal. The 3 words below therefore mean "how are you doing?".
Step 5. Get a good dictionary
The bigger the better. They are already available from English, Dutch (known as "ANNA") and German. There are also trilinguals, including African languages, but they are not very thorough.
Step 6. Look for a dictionary with the most used pronunciations and expressions, or a bilingual dictionary with these details as well
It is important to know the most common phrases, otherwise you will not be able to understand everything. Fortunately, if you are familiar with Dutch or know some expressions, most of the typical phrases will be understandable to you. Also, especially these days, people translate English proverbs directly.
Step 7. Familiarize yourself with the tone of voice
You should listen to the language spoken more often. To give you an idea of the accent, go to https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoofstad in the Afrikaans Wikipedia, click on the PLAY button and follow the text (it's the voice of a sixteen year old). In this way, you can read and listen to the article simultaneously. How would you listen to Radio Nederland Wereldomroep to familiarize yourself with the Dutch accent "Algemeenbeschaafde", uses Radio Sonder Grense (RSG) [1] for Afrikaans. On the homepage, mouse over Luister and then Luister Weer. Click on Luister Weer. You can select any program (for example Die tale wat ons praat), ignore Sleutelwoord and Datums; click on [SOEK] and then on LAAI AF to choose the topic of the day. Once the file is downloaded, you can listen to how the words are pronounced in Afrikaans for more or less half an hour. Afrikaans is a fast language, which is why it is useful to hear the podcast again.
Step 8. Get a sense of humor
The Afrikaans community is based on humor. Many are puns (with the typical expressions of the language), irony, rhymes, similes, metaphors, hyperboles, euphemisms and climaxes. If your interlocutors start grinning or laughing when you speak Afrikaans, don't be mad - if you're a man, your voice may sound feminine (it's hard to articulate deep enough and hoarse enough from the throat, you tend to speak more softly from the front of mouth) or very strange. If you are a woman, you have probably used the wrong expression. You will learn. Keep training.
Step 9. Don't be shy, be expressive as you speak
South Africa and Namibia are luminous lands. Biometeorology and psychology argue that solar exposure has an influence on human behavior. As with the Mediterranean and South American peoples, Afrikaans speakers are much less reserved and more talkative, expressive and interactive than North European peoples. If they are happy, upset, sad, frustrated, passionate or radiant, the facial expression, tone of voice, body language and gestures reveal it. Showing emotions is not a weakness, it shows that you are human - and it is therefore a virtue. They don't live in the sci-fi movie Equilibrium.
Step 10. Forget age and gender equality now
When it comes to gender, Afrikaans and its culture (like that of other African cultures) have always been patriarchal. Some argue that Afrikaans customs are substantially based on religion, while others argue that the lack of technological and educational infrastructures in more developed countries cannot sustain the same rhythms of these countries; including social equality. Men have their traditional roles, like women. Respect it. In modern South Africa, there are very few feminists who want to change Afrikaans customs, although many Afrikaans-speaking women (especially married ones) complain: Vandag se mans is regtig pap! Waarom moet 'n vrou altyd die broek in die huis dra? (Today's men are so superficial and pathetic! Why should the woman be the one to wear pants in the house? - that is, why do women have to play the male role in the house?). Keep this in mind as you speak.
Afrikaans has no genres for neutral objects, such as tables, boats or cars; like English. Die / dit [il] is used: Die motor wil nie vat nie. Dit werk nie [The car does not start. Does not work].
However, if you need a gender for an object, it is always masculine. Jy moet die tafel vernis / motor was / skip laat nasien, hy lyk verwaarloos (You have to paint the table / wash the car / fix the boat, it looks destroyed).
Any animal whose sex is unknown is always male; an animal is not "it". "Daardie hond daar oorkant - het hy hondsdolheid?" [That dog - does he have rabies?].
Never call someone by name unless you have permission.
If a minor calls you oom or tannie [uncle and aunt respectively], accept with gratitude. It is a form of respect. It is usually given to people at least 10 years older.
In the workplace, the title [Meneer (Mr.), Mevrou (Lady), Mejuffrou (Miss)] comes first, followed by the surname, if you don't know the status of a woman, use dame [Dah-meh] (Madam). The register is formal at the first meeting, but can become more conversational as the relationship evolves.
Important: Don't use jy and jou (informal: you) with someone much older than you. It is considered disrespectful, and the person will take it as an offense, since you are not of the same generation (Note1). In this case, try not to use pronouns, or u (formal: you). (Note1) In Europe and other more civilized places, there are fewer young people than the elderly. Consequently, gender equality is more common (young people are the "rare" ones). In South Africa and other developing countries, there are fewer elderly and younger. As a result, the hierarchical pyramid persists (older people are rarer).
Step 11. Visit South Africa (rural Cape Town to the West and North), southern Namibia or any Afrikaans speaking place near you
Step 12. The best way to study a language is through face-to-face interaction
In this way, you will also come into contact with the various dialects.
Step 13. Get rid of the words translated into English of Latin-Greek extraction …
Step 14. Really, not only does it sound contrived, pseudo-intellectual and pompous, it also says a lot about your reduced vocabulary and your incompetence with the dictionary
Latin words also seem longer (having more syllables) and monotonous. Rather use short Germanic words and short sentences. Words that the typical man on the street can understand. For example, do not use offisieel (official) instead of amptelik, for example in Afrikaans is’n amptelike taal van Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans is an official language of South Africa). For a list of words, go to: https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lys_van_minder_suiwer_Afrikaanse_woorde. Difficult for those who speak English and Romance languages? Of course. But wait, there is another way out …
Step 15
.. Use English words in sentences. Thing!? Yup! After all, you are unlikely to be an anchorman or a TV host. Maybe an Afrikaans rock star… Afrikaans use English words to simplify sentences (making them more fluid and quicker) or when they can't think of an equivalent term more quickly. There is a difference between formal language and colloquial language (diglossia). So feel free. Many Afrikaans will notice that you are not comfortable with the language and will not blame you. There are few purist extremists, about one in every 10,000.
Step 16. Continue to communicate in Afrikaans
If the natives notice that you struggle with the language, they automatically switch to English (or perhaps another African language you may know) - they are just trying to make you comfortable. But you have to put your feet up and request to speak Afrikaans. Otherwise you will never learn. They will gladly help you.
Step 17. Listen to Afrikaans music
Many famous song lyrics are available online and some of the contemporary artists' videos are on YouTube. On the site you can also search for Kurt Darren, Snotkop, Steve Hofmeyr, Juanita du Plessis, Nicholis Louw, Sorina Erasmus, Chrizaan, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Chris Chameleon, Ray Dylan, Bok van Blerk, Emo Adams, Arno Jordaan, Gerhard Steyn and Robbie Wessels, Jay, Eden… Other modern singers and bands are Jack Parow, Fokofpolisiekar, Die Antwoord, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Glaskas, Die Tuindwergies… Since the early 2000s Afrikaans music seems to have exploded. Every week a new artist appears, and the discography in language ranges from almost all genres, but above all rock. The land is fertile thanks to the scarce spread of piracy, which therefore still makes the recording industry profitable.
Step 18. Read books in Afrikaans
Before TV in 1976, the internet in 1995, MXit in 2005 (a mobile chat) and especially Facebook, people went to the theater, cinema (bioskoop), played sports or read books. There was a literary exploit especially in the 1950s and 1970s, but then interest waned. The best-selling books today are those of recipes and Christian literature, followed by sentimental, detective, autobiographical novels and books of poetry. Schools are the main engines of children's literature, especially since books are part of the school curriculum. As it is quite expensive (and risky) to be an author in Afrikaans today, many up-and-coming authors put themselves to the test on Woes.co.za. Go take a look.
Step 19. Read newspapers in Afrikaans
afrikaans.news24.com/; Die Burger.com (for the provinces of Cape Town); Volksblad.com (for the Free State) and Beeld.com (covering ex-Transvaal) have all the South African and international news in Afrikaans. Republikeinonline.com.na has the latest news from Namibia and the world in Afrikaans. While it should be added that newspapers are often filled with typos, stereotypes, jargon and English, it is a good way to discover new words and connect more with the Afrikaans community.
Step 20. If you get the chance, watch movies in Afrikaans
Step 21. After 20 years without films, the return of the Afrikaans film industry came in 2010
Since January 2010, Roepman, Jakhalsdans, Ek lief jou, Ek joke net, Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom, Liefling, Getroud met Rugby and Platteland have been released. With English subtitles. Important: although most of the films are set in rural areas (stereotype!), Don't be fooled; the Afrikaans community is very urbanized.
Step 22. Study Afrikaans lingo
For example here:
Step 23. Relax
Aside from the issue of inequality, the Afrikaans community is not fussy about the choice of words, and continues to simplify the rules. Have fun!
Advice
- Here are 3 words with relative pronunciation:
- The first is "liefde", which means "love". It reads like this: the first part is "there" and it says how it is written, then "ef". The "e" is included in "li", while the "f" is pronounced. "De" is simple, but the "e" is nasal and looks like a "u".
- “Sakrekenaar” is a long word but not that difficult. It means "calculator". The first part, "sak", reads as it is written, "re" becomes "ri", and "ke" reads "ku". In the last part, "naar" becomes "nuur".
- The next word is very simple. It is "perd", and it means "horse". It reads as it is written.
- Give yourself time. Learning a new language is difficult, and without patience you will end up frustrating yourself.
