Comments on: Those were the days…

By: z

Mon, 19 May 2008 17:47:38 +0000

Hehe, thanks for the encouragement!

By: Anonymouse

Anonymouse — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:57:06 +0000

Z, as you say, language is a difficult thing to learn at an advanced age (anything above 20). There is however no need to be ashamed at your translation above, as it quite often happens that someone wants (‘funa’) to do something because he likes (‘thanda’) it very much. An enthusiastic ‘Ndifuna’ in your sentence may therefore also sound like, “I like learning Xhosa so much that I want to learn it.”

By: z

Mon, 19 May 2008 06:26:30 +0000

Many apologies. This is very embarrassing, but I made a mistake in my Xhosa passage. At first wanting to say that I’m learning and then that I like learning Xhosa.

Ndifuna ukufunda isiXhosa.
I want to learn Xhosa.

Ndithanda ukufunda isiXhosa.
I like learning Xhosa.

By: Anonymouse

Anonymouse — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:34:35 +0000

Z, judging from your response it appears that you understand my point raised under the official language blog on the previous page (namely, that foreign languages are only easily learnt at a very tender age). The diversity of languages in SA today are such that, at least as far as the justice system is concerned, interpreters are indispensible human resources through which all official languages (and cultures) can be treated on the same footing. As they say in the US: “I rest my case.” Nevertheless, enjoy your language studies. I have also, at a very advanced age, begun studying Mandarin Chinese, and I find it extremely difficult to acquire. As far as the current debate is concerned, it appears that you and I are both Africans; and, we should proudly advance in proclaiming our rights and the future of this country.

By: z

Sun, 18 May 2008 17:46:28 +0000

Mouse

It’s so easy to learn extra languages when you are young. I so wish I had had more opportunity to learn African languages. I had Sepedi in std 6 and 7, but with a teacher who doesn’t even fluently speak it herself, it hardly seemed worthwhile (Matrics used to learn essays by heart, ).

Now I am in Cape Town, and have a much more free time I have decided at last to make a concerted effort and am busy learning isiXhosa.

Ndifuna ukufunda isiXhosa.

(I like learning Xhosa.)

By: Anonymouse

Anonymouse — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:54:33 +0000

Z, on the question of white Africans being referred to as Europeans. Of course you are right, especially Afrikaners have nothing really in common with Europeans, and they are by definition not Europeans if they have been born and bred here in SA, with their ancestors (3 generations or more) living here. Even their language, Afrikaans, although having its major roots in Europe (Dutch, German, and, to a lesser extent, English-Latin), is also an indigenous language that developed on the African continent – and it borrowed many San/Khoisan, Arab, Malay (from the slaves) and other indigenous words from African languages. It is therefore not, like English, a foreign language at all. However, I agree with many others on previous posts about the official languages, that one should try and learn to speak more than one or two of the official languages, besides English and Afrikaans.

By: khosi

khosi — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:50:14 +0000

Mqo,

You are right. For the sake of our conscience, we need someone to blame. Our souls cannot take the shame, we need to make things easier on ourselves as soon as possible.

Pierre, go on and write as we all know who the bearer of all our sins is.

By: Mqo

Mqo — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:55:03 +0000

Pierre,

Is it possible if you could kindly write your views about whats happening in Alexander, on the aparent xenophobic attacks.

By: Mqo

Mqo — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:53:53 +0000

Pierre,

Is possible if you could kindly write your views about whats happening in Alexander, on the aparent xenophobic attacks.

By: Mqo

Mqo — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:32:10 +0000

Nice speech. Only if his words were transferred into action.