A Burgher Quixote

Note

The few words of the Taal introduced into the narrative are essential to give force to the dialogue, as they are of frequent recurrence in conversation, and have no English equivalents. The phrase oprecht Burgher is much on the lips of Boers. Its strict interpretation is “upright,” but it conveys much more, being used to differentiate sharply between the Burghers who are such merely by right of citizenship and those to whom burghership is a serious obligation. It is always used in the spirit in which an Englishman would speak of a God-fearing earnest man.

The adjective slim implies smartness and cunning, not necessarily of an objectionable type; its converse being schelm (skellum), a low, unprincipled, blackguardly person. Oom (uncle), tante (aunt), are terms used in addressing elderly people familiarly, who respond with neef (nephew). Men of equal age speak of one another as coos (cousin). A colloquial peculiarity of the Taal is the tiresome frequency with which a speaker introduces the name of the person addressed.

It should be remembered that in the Taal the final d is always t, v is f, and w is v; hence veld is pronounced “felt,” Van der Merwe, “Fonder Merva.” The a is always very broad, particularly in names such as Dahvid, Ahbel, Sahrel, Erahsmus.

Indaba is a much-used Zulu word, meaning a serious conference; schrick (skrick), a sudden fright; wachter, really! truly! A voorlouper is the Kafir boy who leads the oxen; tronk, the jail; Rooinek (red-neck), a contemptuous name for Englishmen; Taakhaar (long-hair) Boer, a Boer from the remote districts, shaggy and slovenly.