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Word order in Afrikaans follows broadly the same rules as in Dutch: in main clauses, the finite verb appears in "second position" (V2 word order), while subordinate clauses (e.g. content clauses and relative clauses) have subject–object–verb order, with the verb at (or near) the end of the clause.
The name of the language comes directly from the Dutch word Afrikaansch (now spelled Afrikaans) [n 3] meaning 'African'. [12] It was previously referred to as 'Cape Dutch' (Kaap-Hollands or Kaap-Nederlands), a term also used to refer to the early Cape settlers collectively, or the derogatory 'kitchen Dutch' (kombuistaal) from its use by slaves of colonial settlers "in the kitchen".
The simplification of verbs in Afrikaans, with almost all verbs being regular and the near absence of the simple past tense, means that while the phrase ek het gehelp ("I have helped" or "I helped") would be recognisable by Dutch speakers, the Dutch phrases ik heb geholpen and ik hielp would not be as readily understood by speakers of Afrikaans.
This is true for all normal verbs. The only exceptions (as the page states) is the modal verbs sal, wil, kan, moet and mag (these translate as will, want to, can, have to and may / might, which are modal verbs of English as well.) and the only truly irregular Afrikaans verbs, wees and hê. Wees has a preterite form was while its present form is is.
The Handwoordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (HAT) is a shorter, concise Afrikaans explanatory dictionary in a single volume, compared to the comprehensive Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT), similar to the Concise Oxford Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary. The project was begun in 1926 by Prof. J. J. Smith of Stellenbosch ...
Derived from the Afrikaans word of the same spelling for "to cuff" (i.e. to arrest, or get arrested). The plural "boewe", refers both to multiple persons in arrest and the handcuffs themselves. Considered outdated as "bliksem" and "skelm" are more commonly used. boer – literally "farmer" in Afrikaans. (pronounced boo-(r)). Also the verb "to ...
This category contains Afrikaans words and phrases. Subcategories. This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. A. Afrikaans-language given names ...
The Handwoordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (HAT), is the best known explanatory dictionary for the Afrikaans language and is generally regarded as authoritative. Compared to the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT) it is a shorter Afrikaans explanatory dictionary in a single volume. The latest edition of the HAT, the sixth, was published in ...