The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-23
LANGUAGE OF THE BOERS.

The language OF the Beers I'm South
Africa Is grammatlcally the language
OF the people OF Holland. They speak
Dutch as their forcfathers in Holland
spoke II and speak IL now. They are
called Beers because that is a Dutch
word which describes them. 1t means
a farmer. and agriculture is the main
pursuit OF the compatriots OF Dom
Paul 4 knowledge OF Dutch would
supply an explanation OF the odd-look-
Ing words that are used now and then
i'm the news reports from the republic.
It would also enable one TO pronounce
these words as ,ney should be enun-
ciatei.
Dutch diphth0ngs are not gwen the
same sounds as their equivalents In
English. says the Philadelphia Record.
The double "o" for instance in the
Dutch has the same sound as "o' in
Rome. VIII lie the diphthong zoe" is pro-
ncuncCd by the Dutch as we pronounce
Zoo" i'm boot The English pronuncia-
zion OF these two diphthongs is the re-
verse of mat given by those who speak
Dutch. And "ou' has the sound OF
cow" I'm owl The sound OF "ui' is
/. "a
IN boy. The Dutch double "aa" is the
same as the English "a" in war. And
there is no ~" I'm Dutch, its place IA
taken by III, which IS sounded as ~
In defy
II one, therefore would pronounce
O0m Paul properly he would say 1t az
IL 10 were spelled "Ome Powl.' The
family name of General Joubert would
for the same reason be pronounced as
If it were spelled "Yowbert" The word
Boer Is pronounced by the Afrikander
as II IL were OF two syllables the first
long and the second short. thus: Boo
err" The plural Is not Beers" 1t is
"Boeren," and Il is pronounced "Bo-er-
en-" because the final 70 IS slurred.
Here are some OF the Dutch words
that are oftenest I'm print in connection
with the news Of the Transvaal and
their pronunciation and lneaning;
Bloemfontein (blcom-fon-tine). Flower
fountain.
Boer CbOo-er) ........... Farmer.
Buitenlander (boy-ten- -lont-er) 49,. For
eigner.
Burgher Cbuhr-ker) Citizen.
Burgherregt (buhr-ker-rekO. o.. Citizen
ship.
Burgherwacht Cbunr- r-ker-vokD Citizen
soldiery
Jonkherr (yunk -hare) Member OF the
Volksraad; gentleman.
Dom tome) ..,..................... lncle.
Raad (rahd) .............. Senate.
Raadsheer (rahds-hare) ........ senator.
Raadshuis (rads -hOys) .... Senate house.
Rand (rahnD. D.............M Margin edge
Staat (staht) OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. state.
Staatkunde (staht- kuhn -de) Politics.
Staatsraad (staats-rahd) Council Of
State.
Stad (stot) .......,.............C city.
tf..tsa zfafe ny
Transvaal Ctrons fahD. Circular valley.
Trek drecD .........D Draught; journey.
Trekken (treck-eh) to draw: TO travel.
Trekpaard Orcckpahrd Draft horse.
Tit (OyD D............. Out, out OF.
-I-4t+anAAE-la -laNt-1nnt=erl -Enreigner.
Vaal (fahD D...................... Valley.
Naderslandsliefde (fah- h-ter-lonts-leef-
te) Loveof ones country; patriotism.
Weld Cfelt) Field: open lands.
Veldheer Gelt-hare). General COM
mandant.
Veldwachler (felt-vock-ter) ..... Rural
guard.
Volksraad (fulks-rahd) Lower house
| or Congress-.
| Voorregt (fore rekD Franchise; privi-
lege.
Vreemdelng (framc-da -ling) Stranger
| Witwatersraud (vit-vot -ters-ronO ...
Margin OF the white water.
Preturi7r. titt. -t-stpit7t4 e-ff the South Af-
| rican republic. is named i'm honor OF its
| first president Pretorius. who led the
! Dutch I'm the great trek. or journey, out
OF Cape Colony sixty years ago and
into the Transvaal 10 escape the do
! m 'nion of England Johannesburg is
| easily translated into English as Johns
! town. The term "Afrkander" is used
! 10 designate the Dutch from the other
| white people Of South Africa.