8:05
I was peeling little potatoes today - teeny tiny, little potatoes. It made me think that my mother would have called those "katte-balletjies". It's a common Afrikaans term commonly used to talk about small things.
... until you use it in front of someone who doesn't speak Afrikaans. Then you explain that it's a general reference to small things. If they ask for a the literal translation, you shuffle your feet awkwardly and mumble indistinctly. If they insist, you tell them it literally translates to cat testicles, and everyone just squirms and talks about something else instead.
Then there's "kattekwaad", which means mischief, but translates to cats-angry.
And "aapie stuiper", which means having a hissy fit, but translate to monkey-fits. I guess that one's not that far off.
And "voetsek" which isn't even a real word, but generally means "bugger-off" - just in a more vulgar way.
And Cosmos - as in the pretty flowers ... in Afrikaans we call them "hoer-meitjies". That translates to little whores. I suppose that's appropriate for pretty things who stand by the side of the road.
8:11
Oopsies - went over again
I was peeling little potatoes today - teeny tiny, little potatoes. It made me think that my mother would have called those "katte-balletjies". It's a common Afrikaans term commonly used to talk about small things.
... until you use it in front of someone who doesn't speak Afrikaans. Then you explain that it's a general reference to small things. If they ask for a the literal translation, you shuffle your feet awkwardly and mumble indistinctly. If they insist, you tell them it literally translates to cat testicles, and everyone just squirms and talks about something else instead.
Then there's "kattekwaad", which means mischief, but translates to cats-angry.
And "aapie stuiper", which means having a hissy fit, but translate to monkey-fits. I guess that one's not that far off.
And "voetsek" which isn't even a real word, but generally means "bugger-off" - just in a more vulgar way.
And Cosmos - as in the pretty flowers ... in Afrikaans we call them "hoer-meitjies". That translates to little whores. I suppose that's appropriate for pretty things who stand by the side of the road.
8:11
Oopsies - went over again
Yes, it IS a wonky language... but SO expressive at times!
ReplyDeleteWhat other language can compete with "gatvol"? "Fed up" is SO incipid! When a springbok jumps to show a lion it is too strong to be worth chasing, the Afrikaans is the wonderfully dynamic "pronk", while in English it is "stot"... which sounds damp and sloppy to me.
Yes! Gatvol would be tough to beat. :)
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