Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Afrikaans term or phrase:
aitsa
English translation:
Exclamation of informal praise or surprise
Added to glossary by
Johan Venter
Feb 10, 2007 13:43
17 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Afrikaans term
aitsa
Afrikaans to English
Art/Literary
Linguistics
literature
I wonder what the Afrikaans term " aitsa " means?
Thank you!
Thank you!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | See explanation below |
Johan Venter
|
| 4 +1 | wow, good grief, I say |
Samuel Murray
|
| 4 -3 | go well! |
swisstell
|
Change log
Feb 10, 2007 20:44: Kim Metzger changed "Term asked" from "An Afrikaans term" to "aitsa"
Proposed translations
+3
1 hr
Afrikaans term (edited):
An Afrikaans term
Selected
See explanation below
Aitsa does not really mean anything in itself, it is more of a word of exclamation, eg: "Aitsa, look at that" or "Aitsa, he's about to get a hiding!"
It is also used as an exclamation to indicate something nice, e.g. Aitsa, what a nice girl/car/house, etc.
I am not sure of the origins of the word itself, though I guess it comes from one of the other local languages. The original meaning is lost on most Afrikaans speakers, however, and it is used in the sense as given above, whether this is correct in terms of the original meaning or not.
It is also used as an exclamation to indicate something nice, e.g. Aitsa, what a nice girl/car/house, etc.
I am not sure of the origins of the word itself, though I guess it comes from one of the other local languages. The original meaning is lost on most Afrikaans speakers, however, and it is used in the sense as given above, whether this is correct in terms of the original meaning or not.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you for help!"
-3
24 mins
Afrikaans term (edited):
An Afrikaans term
go well!
'May you go wisely and slowly'? It just means 'go well'!
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Johan Venter
: Not quite
33 mins
|
| disagree |
Kim Metzger
: Ay, yay yaaay! Shoemaker, stick to your last.
1 hr
|
| disagree |
Samuel Murray
: It may mean "go well" in some neighbourhood slang, but that is not the general meaning.
2 hrs
|
+1
3 hrs
Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Netherlands
Native in Afrikaans
Netherlands
Efficient English-Afrikaans translator.
Native in: Afrikaans (Variant: South African) 
Works in: English to Afrikaans, Afrikaans to English
wow, good grief, I say
I agree with Johan Venter, but here is an entry from the WAT's Afrikaans etymology dictionary (translated):
"aits (interjection). Also haits, haitsa, heits and heitsa. Exclamation of informal praise or surprise. From Nama aise, also written in the reduplication form ei sä, ei sä (1811), eisey, eisey! (1837)."
I must say that I've never heard any of the forms given -- the only form I'm at all familiar with, is "aitsa".
"aits (interjection). Also haits, haitsa, heits and heitsa. Exclamation of informal praise or surprise. From Nama aise, also written in the reduplication form ei sä, ei sä (1811), eisey, eisey! (1837)."
I must say that I've never heard any of the forms given -- the only form I'm at all familiar with, is "aitsa".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Johan Venter
: Thank you for this info - Pity the dictionary did not offer an explanation as to what the original meaning of the word was
1 day 19 hrs
|
Something went wrong...