Translated from Afrikaans, this means "Thief/Thug language" in other
words it is simply "slang" as it implies a colloquial manner of speaking.
Often used in townships and communities of colour, tsotsi taal is a
unique way in which South Africans have incorporated many languages into their everyday slang. There are variants as per region/language groups but this way of speaking is often very swag and shows off the diverse influence South Africa has.
'Ola,
hoe zit?' *pronounced: Who Zet*
(Some would rather say 'Ola, howzit). The meaning is: Hello, how's it going? Although South Africa doesn't have Spanish roots- this is an example of how South Africans can adopt
literally any word into their slang.
"Ek se!" This is another way of saying hello or what's up. Sometimes it can be used as a reaction to something shocking/surprising. The direct Afrikaans translation is "I say"
Examples of tsotsi taal include:
-klipa/klipper: refers to money in hundreds (
5 klipa= R500)
-dingus: refers to a thing/
thingy-acus/atshus: a friend/
homie
-bhudda: equivalent of dude
-lightie/lighty: refers to a young person
-oke(s): equivalent of dude
