Tyhini! These umlungus' tongues can click

[Makhosimvelo]

By Samkelo Ngwenya - http://www.dispatch.co.za/2001/10/18...cape/XHOSA.HTM

CHATTING to Athol Trollip is like having a conversation with a Xhosa-speaking black person.
Before I begin to interview him, Trollip humorously cautions me not to refer to him as an "umlungu".
"I am not an 'umlungu', I might be white but don't call me umlungu," he emphasises.
Umlungu is a short-cut term often used to describe a white person (not in a negative way!).
Trollip is part of an elite group of white people who can socialise and conduct business using the dominant Xhosa language in the Eastern Cape.
"Speaking Xhosa has been without any doubt the single greatest advantage in my life and greeting people in their language shows courtesy," he says.
"It makes better relations between myself and other people. My life in the new South Africa has been an absolute pleasure," says Trollip, a Democratic Alliance MEC at the Bisho Legislature.
Trollip, who learnt Xhosa while growing up in Bathurst, says it's a sad thing that indigenous languages were not enforced among white people in the past.
Former East London mayor Donald Card has an abundance of funny stories to tell about his "Xhosa-speaking" experiences.
Card recalls the many ugly remarks and the shocked faces he had seen after revealing his open secret.
"Those who can't speak Xhosa don't know what they are missing because this is a marvellous advantage," Card says.
"You can never translate a Xhosa joke to sound well in English," Card adds.
Jesse Knott, a multi-media theatre director, is also not complaining about the tongue-twisting clicks and the difficult voice tones she uses to speak Xhosa.
"Speaking Xhosa has made me understand people and their cultures. I now feel that my roots are different and rooted here in Africa," Knott says.
Eastern Cape Museum and Heritage director Denver "Tshawe" Webb says speaking Xhosa helps him, especially when he visits the rural areas in the Transkei.
"I have to bite my tongue at times when people are talking behind my back as replying in Xhosa can make people's heart jump out," Webb says.
Bronwen "Sdudla" Turnbull, a marketing consultant at an East London-based finance company, says people respect her more and become friendlier when she starts speaking Xhosa.
"I learnt Xhosa while schooling in Umtata and I use the language a lot when there is a misunderstanding with a client," she says.
Buffalo City taxi owner Dennis Kruger reckons he's gained a large black clientele simply because he can speak Xhosa.
"It is a hell of an advantage and I would encourage other white people in the Eastern Cape to start learning Xhosa too," says Dennis, whose many friends spoke Xhosa when he grew up.

[vbnnn69]

Fishing, south Florida fishing, everglades fishing, everglades.
Fish for a full or half day in an 18-foot Hell's Bay Skiff equipped to handle all possible fishing challenges in the area. The unparalleled maneuverability and shallow draft of this vessel allows our charters to access areas that are off limits to other watercraft. Safety is our main concern aboard the skiff, and we are equipped with the latest communications gear, from VHF radios to mobile satellite phones. Tackle, bait, and other equipment are also provided.
http://www.captainariel.com/trips.htm