South Africans and Now?
Us South Africans have a rather strange and complicated relationship with the concept of "now".
If you are anywhere else in the world now means now. In South Africa this is a completely different story. I can literally picture in my mind all the South Africans reading this post nodding in understanding and all the non-South Africans shaking their heads in puzzlement thinking well what on earth is this woman talking about? Now means now... duh?
I recently had a conversation with someone from the UK and she asked me when she can expect my email and I replied "just now". Which lead to a series of misunderstandings...
So here it goes. There is not just one version of now for us. There are in fact 4 different versions and it goes like this:
Now - this is really the most vague version of now. It should be simple but it really is not. In fact I never say now because it doesn't explain a thing. Yes it should but it just doesn't.
Right now - this is probably what you all (as in non-South Africans) consider to be now. This is immediately as in drop everything and do it... well now. Are you confused yet? Well you should be and it gets worse.
Now now - this means soon. It is not right now, or now... but soon.. well soon-ish. It is certainly NOT now.
Just now - this means later. It is not now, right now or now now... this could be in the next 20 minutes or maybe even tomorrow. This is the standard response my husband gives when I ask him when he is going to do the dishes and his response is "just now". This means he will do it... one day but I can't pin him down to exactly when or get him to really commit.
If you are in South Africa and I ask you if you understand you will probably answer with another strange saying - ja nee. (yes no).
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Thank you for this. It's true that you learn something new everyday, and this was it for me. I would have definitely been confused and might use it at work just to mess with people a little bit.
Take care.
When I saw the title of your post I somehow knew what it would be about. :)
Such a peculiar national idiosyncrasy and one that you're not even aware of until non South Africans draw your attention to it.
What;s even more odd is that you never seem to lose it if you spent your formative years in SA as I did. I haven't lived there for most of my adult life and yet I still use "just now". :)
~Mark :)
That's so interesting! I must say your 'just now' sounds like a most useful phrase. I wouldn't be surprised if your children adopt it when they get to 'homework age'.
I am in the UK... just so you know...if anyone from the UK tells you that they'll do something 'in a minute', do not expect it 60 seconds later. I guess you could 'translate it' into a 'now now'. :-)
My daughter already tells me she will tidy her room just now! And I say NO right now young lady LOL
Very true. Us Brits are always saying "in a minute" (me especially), which usually means I'll get round to it, eventually :)
We also say, "Dog & Bone" for Phone........"Plates of Meat" for Feet....."Frog & Toad" for Road & "Apples & Pears" for Stairs.........the list is endless :)
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It always makes me laugh when I read a post like yours, brings back so many memories. I was born in SA but mainly grew up in Rhodies & of course it was the same there.
I've lived in a few countries and over the years picked up local sayings, that I can't remember where they came from. So now (UK now) I'm sure I confuse many! :D