Afrikaans is a language that is spoken in South Africa, Namibia, and parts of Botswana and Zimbabwe. It is one of the eleven official languages of South Africa and is spoken by approximately 7.2 million people. In this article, we will explore the definition and meaning of Afrikaans.
Definitions
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that is spoken mainly in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch and was developed in the 17th century by Dutch settlers who arrived in South Africa. Afrikaans is also known as Cape Dutch, Kitchen Dutch, and African Dutch.
Origin
Afrikaans originated from the Dutch language that was spoken by the Dutch settlers who arrived in South Africa in the 17th century. Over time, the language evolved and was influenced by other languages such as Malay, Portuguese, and African languages. Today, Afrikaans is considered a separate language from Dutch, although the two languages are still closely related.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Afrikaans is defined as “a language spoken in South Africa, derived from Dutch and characterized by simplified grammar and pronunciation.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Afrikaans as “a language descended from Dutch that is spoken primarily in South Africa.”
Associations
Afrikaans is closely associated with South Africa, as it is one of the country’s official languages. It is also associated with the history of apartheid, as it was one of the languages used by the government to enforce segregation policies. However, in recent years, Afrikaans has become a language of cultural pride for many South Africans.
Synonyms
There are no direct synonyms for Afrikaans, as it is a unique language. However, it is closely related to Dutch and shares many similarities with other West Germanic languages such as German and English.
Antonyms
Again, there are no direct antonyms for Afrikaans, as it is a unique language. However, it is different from other languages such as Zulu, Xhosa, and Sotho.
The same root words
As Afrikaans is derived from Dutch, it shares many root words with the Dutch language. For example, the Afrikaans word for “water” is “water,” which is the same as the Dutch word for water.
Example Sentences
- Ek praat Afrikaans. (I speak Afrikaans.).
- Die boek is in Afrikaans geskryf. (The book is written in Afrikaans.).
- Ons het ‘n paar Afrikaanse woordeskat geleer. (We learned some Afrikaans vocabulary.).