Definition

1. Proper noun:

   • An official language of the Republic of South Africa, which evolved from 17th-century Dutch and is spoken by a significant portion of the population, especially among Afrikaners.
   • The language is closely related to Dutch and Flemish.

2. Adjective:

   • Belonging or relating to the Afrikaans language.
   • Belonging or relating to white South Africans of Dutch descent (Afrikaners) and their culture.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:

  • She is fluent in both English and Afrikaans.
  • Afrikaans is one of the youngest Germanic languages.

• Adjective:

  • He writes Afrikaans poetry.
  • The museum has a collection of Afrikaans folk music.

Advanced Usage

• "Afrikaans-speaking": Used to describe a person or community whose primary language is Afrikaans.
  • The Afrikaans-speaking community has a rich literary tradition.

Variants and Related Words

• Afrikaner (noun): A white South African of Dutch, German, or Huguenot descent, whose native language is Afrikaans.

  • Many Afrikaners are farmers.

• Afrikaanses (plural noun, rare): A term sometimes used to refer to multiple varieties or instances of the Afrikaans language.

Synonyms

• Taal (noun, historical/informal): A former colloquial name for Afrikaans, derived from the Dutch word for "language."
• South African Dutch (noun, historical): An older term for the language before it was standardized as Afrikaans.

Notes on Meaning

• The term Afrikaans specifically refers to the language. When referring to the people or culture, the terms Afrikaner (for a person) and Afrikaner (as a modifier, e.g., Afrikaner culture) are more precise, though "Afrikaans" is sometimes used adjectivally in a broader cultural sense (e.g., Afrikaans literature).

Adjective

1. belonging or relating to white people of South Africa whose ancestors were Dutch or to their language
   • an Afrikaans couple
   • Afrikaner support

Noun

1. an official language of the Republic of South Africa; closely related to Dutch and Flemish