Afrikaans

The Dutch arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, when Jan van Riebeeck established a refreshment station for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), marking the beginning of European colonization in South Africa. Over time, Dutch settlers—known as Boers or Afrikaners—expanded inland, establishing farms and communities, often in conflict with indigenous populations like the Khoikhoi and Xhosa. Dutch governance lasted until the early 19th century, when the British took control, but Dutch cultural and institutional influence remained strong, especially in rural and settler communities. The Afrikaners developed a distinct identity, marked by their Calvinist religion, farming lifestyle, and resistance to British colonial rule, which culminated in the Anglo-Boer Wars (1880–1881 and 1899–1902). Dutch legal traditions influenced South African law, particularly Roman-Dutch law, which remains a foundation of the country’s legal system today. The legacy of Dutch architecture is visible in Cape Dutch buildings, notable for their gables and whitewashed walls. The Dutch also brought enslaved people from other parts of Africa and Asia, which shaped South Africa’s demographic and cultural landscape. Christianity, introduced by Dutch settlers and missionaries, became a dominant religion among both settler and indigenous populations. The apartheid regime, established in 1948 and ended in 1994, was shaped in part by Afrikaner nationalism, rooted in the colonial legacy. Today, Dutch influence is preserved through Afrikaans, culture, and historical institutions, though South Africa is a multicultural society with 11 official languages and diverse cultural expressions.

Afrikaans Language

Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that evolved from 17th-century Dutch dialects spoken by settlers in the Cape Colony. It belongs to the Low Franconian branch of the Indo-European language family, closely related to Dutch and German. While originally seen as a “simplified” Dutch, Afrikaans developed its own grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, influenced by the diverse population of the Cape, including indigenous Khoisan people, enslaved Malays, and other African and Asian communities.

Afrikaans differs from Standard Dutch in several ways: it has a more regular and simplified grammar, lacks grammatical gender, and uses a more phonetic spelling system. English has had a considerable influence on Afrikaans vocabulary, especially in technology, law, and popular culture, due to British colonial rule and globalization. Additionally, Afrikaans has borrowed words and expressions from native South African languages, such as Xhosa and Zulu, though this influence is smaller than that of Malay or Khoisan.

Afrikaans is spoken with regional variations, ranging from rural dialects to urban varieties, and is used by people of various ethnic backgrounds, not just those of Dutch descent. Although Afrikaans and Dutch are mutually intelligible to some degree—especially in written form—spoken Afrikaans can be challenging for Dutch speakers due to differences in pronunciation and syntax. Afrikaans is one of South Africa’s 11 official languages and is also spoken in Namibia, where it retains a significant cultural presence. Despite a complex political history, Afrikaans remains a vibrant and evolving language within South Africa’s multilingual landscape.

Asterix praat Afrikaans

The initial Afrikaans editions were published by Human & Rousseau Ltd., based in Cape Town, South Africa. Their publications include “Asterix die Gladiator” and “Asterix en die Noormanne,” both released in 1975, followed by “Asterix en Cleopatra” and “Asterix en die Olimpiese Spele” in 1997.

In 2013, Protea Boekhuis took over the publication of the Afrikaans translations, starting with “Asterix die Gallier” and “Asterix en die goue sekel.” Over the subsequent years, they continued to release additional titles, such as “Asterix en die Gote,” “Asterix en Cleopatra,” and “Asterix by die Pikte,” the latter being the 35th book in the series. Protea Boekhuis has maintained a consistent publication schedule, with releases spanning from 2013 to as recent as 2023, including titles like “Die Trans-Italiese wawedren” and “Vercingetorix se dogter.”

These translations have been undertaken by various translators. The initial editions by Human & Rousseau were translated by E.P. du Plessis and Ludwig Visser. Protea Boekhuis’s editions have been translated by Sonya van Schalkwyk-Barrois, ensuring that the humor and cultural nuances of the original French series are effectively conveyed to Afrikaans readers.